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      Hamilton says Verstappen’s car ‘landed on my head, I’m a bit sore’ after horror crash at Italian GP

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      LEWIS HAMILTON escaped his crash with Max Verstappen with just a sore neck after his rival’s Red Bull landed on top of his car.The Formula One title contenders both ended up in the gravel midway through Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix after a collision at the Turn 1 chicane.
      Lewis Hamilton was saved by his Halo in Sunday’s crashCredit: AFP
      Verstappen approached Hamilton from behind at the seven-time champion’s slow pit stop and attempted an overtake, before running out of space and bumping into his rival’s Mercedes.
      The crash sent his Red Bull into the air and it landed on Hamilton’s car, even clipping the Halo device that protected his head.
      The 36-year-old was therefore left with only a stiff neck as both men walked away from what could have been a nasty incident.
      Hamilton told Sky Sports: “I’m a little bit stiff and a bit sore on my neck.
      “[The car] landed on my head – but I’ll be okay.
      “From what I remember, I was racing as hard as I could. I finally got past Lando [Norris] so they pitted me. The pit stop was slow, Max was coming.

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      “I made sure I left a car’s width on the outside for him. I went into Turn 1 and I was ahead and was ahead going into Turn 2, then all of a sudden he was on top of me.”
      The pair were called to the stewards after the race at Monza, which saw McLaren and Daniel Ricciardo swoop to a stunning one-two victory.
      Verstappen, 23, maintained his innocence having initiated the overtake that led to the crash – but was handed a three-place grid penalty for the next race, in Russia in two weeks’ time.
      He had insisted that, like their collision at Silverstone earlier this year, ‘these things happen’.
      He stated: “We realised we were going to be close into Turn 1.
      “I took the wide line and I had to go on the green kerb to not make contact.
      Hamilton and Max Verstappen battled at the Turn 1 chicaneCredit: AFP
      The collision led to the title rivals both exiting the raceCredit: Alamy
      “He realised I was going for it and kept squeezing me and I wanted to work with him, I wanted to race.
      “Everyone automatically starts talking about Silverstone but these things happen. We are all professional enough to get on with it and keep on racing each other.
      “But I did not expect him to keep on squeezing, squeezing, squeezing. He did not even need to – if he would have left me a car width we would have raced out of Turn 2 and he would have probably would have stayed in front anyway.
      “He kept on pushing me wider and wider and at one point there was nowhere to go and he pushed me onto the sausage kerb and that is why we touched, because the rear tyre bumped up to his tyre.”
      Neither Hamilton nor Verstappen led the Grand Prix after Ricciardo launched ahead off the start.
      It led to an early battle at Turn 4, which saw the Merc on the outside and squeezed over the kerb in a rather ambitious move.
      Verstappen maintained that the two moments ‘cannot be judged the same’ whereas Mercedes boss Toto Wolff squared the blame with the Red Bull star.
      Wolff told Sky Sports: “The stewards are going to decide who is predominantly to blame.
      In football you call it a ‘tactical foul’. Max probably knew if Lewis stays ahead, that is the race win.Toto Wolff
      “In football you call it a ‘tactical foul’. [Verstappen] probably knew if Lewis stays ahead, that is the race win, possibly.
      “If you compare it to what Lewis said about Turn 4 on lap one, there was no space left – pushed off the track, actually.
      “Let the stewards make the judgement. I don’t want to be a punter like some of my colleagues.”
      Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen react to dangerous crash More

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      F1 Italian Grand Prix LIVE: Hamilton and Verstappen CRASH OUT of Monza race after big collision – latest updates

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      LEWIS HAMILTON will be gunning to take top spot back from Max Verstappen as the F1 season heads to Italy this weekend.The Dutchman Verstappen went to the top of the Driver’s Championship after his victory at home in the Dutch Grand Prix last week.
      And he will have pole at Monza after a dramatic qualifying session.

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      Follow all of the latest updates below…
      2 FAST 2 FURIOUS
      Hollywood A-lister Vin Diesel was in attendance today at Monza.

      DAN THE MAN
      Daniel Ricciardo was a bag of smiles on the podium, and even drank champagne in a trademark shoey.

      RICCIARDO SPEAKS
      Ricciardo says: “Can I swear?!”
      “It’s about …. time!”
      “I felt good and knew something good was to come.”
      DANIEL RICCIARDO WINS THE ITALIAN GP
      That is McLaren’s first win since 2012 – a total of 3,213 days ago!
      Norris is second.
      Perez is third.
      Bottas is fourth.
      TWO LAPS TO GO
      Ricciardo has this. Heartbreak for Norris if he does not get the win.
      LAP 48/53
      It is Ricciardo, Norris, Perez, Bottas, Leclerc, Sainz, Stroll, Alonso, Russell, Ocon.
      MAZEPIN IS OUT
      The Haas driver becomes the fifth retirement of this race as his car loses power and grinds to a halt.

      PEREZ AND BOTTAS FIGHTING FOR THIRD
      Red Bull verses McLaren round 2. This could get tasty too.
      NORRIS IS DESPERATE FOR THIS WIN
      But the Aussie remains in P1. Will McLaren swap their drivers? Norris has been excellent this season.
      PEREZ HAS A PENALTY
      He is given a five second time penalty for leaving the track at turn one when he went wheel to wheel with Sainz.
      Meanwhile…out in front.

      LAP 36
      Bottas is closing in… He can’t, can he?
      A McLaren win would be popular though.
      BOTTAS IS NOW FOURTH
      He started last. Has a brand new engine. And is going for it.
      Great drive so far.
      IT IS ALL KICKING OFF
      Perez moans at Sainz for not leaving him any room.
      Bottas overtakes Leclerc who is forced wide into turn one.
      And Mazepin and Schumacher – the two Haas teammates – also come together.
      SAFETY CAR IN – WE ARE RACING AGAIN
      Wonderful get away from Ricciardo, but what about Norris! Amazing overtake on Leclerc and into P2.
      That was brave as he was forced wide and went on to the dirt. This is shaping up very well for McLaren.

      HALO DOES IT’S JOB
      Hamilton was saved serious injury thanks to the cockpit protection.

      LEWIS IS HEADING BACK TO THE GARAGE
      Max is also approaching the Red Bull garage.
      For everyone asking, Lewis is OK. He’s on his way back to the paddock now.— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) September 12, 2021

      BOTH DRIVERS ARE FURIOUS
      Hamilton was coming out of the pits and into the first chicane. He was in the lead.
      Verstappen should have backed out but Max being Max, refused to give and inch.
      He hit the sausage kerb and is sent flying into Hamilton’s Mercedes. Taking them both out of the GP.
      TV replays show that Hamilton could have been saved by the Halo.
      HAMILTON AND VERSTAPPEN CRASH
      Huge drama as the two championship leaders come together. Hamilton and Verstappen are BOTH out of this race.
      Amazing scenes.
      LAP 26 HAMILTON PITS FROM THE LEAD
      His stop is 4.2 seconds and he is back on track.
      LAP 24 HAMILTON GETS NORRIS
      The Mercedes man eventually gets his countryman. He is in the lead but yet to stop.
      DISASTER FOR VERSTAPPEN – A SLOW STOP
      He stops for tyres at the end of lap 23 but he is stationary for 11.1 seconds.
      LAP 23 RICCIARDO PITS
      He stops from the lead for fresh tyres at the end of lap 22. His stop promotes Verstappen into the lead.
      BOTTAS IS ON A CHARGE
      The Merc man, who started last in 20th remember, is now up to ninth. That’s some going.
      OCON AND VETTEL TOUCH
      The Alpine man closed down Vettel and gave him no space.
      That was a bit naughty from the Frenchman and the incident is being looked at by the stewards.
      RICCIARDO AND NORRIS DOING A GREAT JOB
      The Aussie is controlling the pace in front and leads from Verstappen.
      And Norris is having to defend like hell to keep Hamilton behind him, but he is bringing Leclerc in to play.

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      What is halo in F1? Cockpit system explained which saved Lewis Hamilton from serious injury at Italian GP

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      THE HALO cockpit has been part and parcel of F1 for the last four seasons.And it helped save Lewis Hamilton from serious injury after he crashed out of the Italian Grand Prix.
      Grosjean had walked away from one of the worst F1 crashes in recent years – and the Halo system has been praisedCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      What is the halo cockpit system?
      Safety is paramount in Formula One and sadly down the years some haven’t been as lucky as Roman Grosjean at the Bahrain GP last year.
      Jules Bianchi was killed after a crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, losing control of his Marussia in treacherous conditions.
      And his mother was quick to point out that the halo – which wasn’t a feature of the cars six years ago but was being worked on by the FIA – had ‘saved Romain’s life’.
      French journalist @Julien_FEBREAU received a message from Jules Bianchi’s mother that said: “They introduced the Halo following my son’s accident and the Halo saved Romain’s life today. This is great. I’m glad that he’s okay.”❤️❤️❤️❤️— tami. (@Vetteleclerc) November 29, 2020

      The halo was introduced back in 2018 and is an added safety feature now included on all F1 cars, acting as titanium ring of protection around the driver’s cockpit.
      It is designed to prevent drivers from getting injuries from flying debris or suffering head trauma like in the tragic case of Bianchi.
      The F1 governing body took a long time to research and test the design, which does slightly impact the field of view for drivers.
      When it was launched there was also criticism from some fans, who believed the hefty new structure around the cockpit meant they couldn’t see the racers properly.
      The system was controversial when brought in as some thought it went against F1’s open cockpit appealCredit: Reuters
      World champion Lewis Hamilton revealed back in 2018 that he felt it could be the first step towards a closed cockpit around the driver, but that hasn’t yet come to fruition.
      He said: “I think we’re moving towards a closed cockpit, I think that would look better, there’s some real great concepts online of a closed cockpit.
      “It’s a difficult one as when they introduced it, talked about it, they mentioned a 17 per cent improvement in safety and it’s difficult to really ignore that.
      “It definitely doesn’t look good, we know that, we’ve said that.”
      The Halo Cockpit system improves safety but some F1 drivers hate it
      The system was slammed by fans and drivers alike in 2018 – but has proved its worthCredit: Reuters
      How did it save Grosjean in Bahrain crash?
      Grosjean’s car snapped clean in half at the force of the crash, with the impact measured at a scarcely-believable 53G.
      Despite the fireball that consumed the wreckage of his vehicle, Grosjean was saved from major burns by his four layers of protective clothing and was able to jump to safety.
      The sturdily-built halo is designed to take the full force of impact first, protecting the drivers head from serious injury.
      The ruined barrier at the Bahrain GP after impactCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      In this case, it appears to have worked with Grosjean suffering just minor burns to his hands and miraculously avoiding serious trauma to either his body or head.
      Ross Brawn, F1 managing director, was adamant after the race that without the halo we could have been looking at another tragedy.
      He said: “There is absolutely no doubt the halo was the factor that saved the day – and saved Romain.”
      The huge fireball erupted after Grosjean hit the barrier at almost 150mphCredit: AP:Associated Press
      And world champ Hamilton said after winning the race in Sakhir: “It was such a shocking image to see.
      “His car, the cockpit, I don’t know what Gs he pulled, but I’m just so grateful that the halo worked.
      “I’m grateful the barrier didn’t slice his head off. It could have been so much worse.”
      Grosjean was immediately air-lifted to hospital after the crash and praised the F1 safety system for saving his life.
      He said: “I wasn’t for the halo some years ago, but I think it’s the greatest thing that we brought to Formula 1 and without it I wouldn’t be able to speak to you today.” More

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      Lewis Hamilton says ‘halo’ may have saved his life after being hit by Max Verstappen’s tyre in dramatic Monza crash

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      LEWIS HAMILTON says he is lucky to be alive after cheating death in another crash with F1 title rival Max Verstappen.The Dutchman’s Red Bull was launched onto the top of his Mercedes as the two tangled at the Italian GP.
      Lewis Hamilton was protected by his car’s Halo – a safety shield around his helmet – after Max Verstappen’s car landed on top of hisCredit: AFP
      Verstappen went over the top of his title rival’s car
      Both drivers got out of their respective motors after the terrifying crashCredit: Splash
      Hamilton and Verstappen collided at the Italian Grand Prix in the latest controversial moment in the pair’s title battleCredit: AP
      Hamilton, 36, avoided serious injury largely thanks to his halo – a protective titanium ring around his helmet – but was still hit on the head by Verstappen’s tyre.
      The Brit, who later complained of neck pain, admitted he was saved by the halo cockpit protection canopy that stopped the full weight of the Red Bull’s rear wheel from striking his head.
      Hamilton said: “Honestly, I feel very, very fortunate. Thank God for the halo. That ultimately saved me. And saved my neck.
      “I don’t think I have ever been hit on the head by a car before and it is quite a shock for me.
      “If you see the image, my head is quite far forward. I have been racing for a long long time and I am so so grateful I am still here.
      “I feel incredibly blessed that someone was watching over me today.”

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      The Halo was introduced in 2018 to prevent drivers from being hit by flying debris or suffering a severe head trauma.
      Hamilton, who sounded out of sorts after the race, will see a specialist to ensure there is no long term damage.
      The seven-time world champion, 36, was fighting Verstappen for track position when the Red Bull collided with the Brit’s Mercedes.
      Hamilton was coming out of the pits and into the first chicane with Verstappen in pursuit of his F1 title rival.
      The Dutch star, 23, didn’t back down and hit the kerb, flying into Hamilton and ending both of their chances of winning the Italian GP.
      Speaking to his team on the radio after the incident, Verstappen said: “That’s what happens when you don’t give space.”
      But the title challenger was handed a three-place grid penalty for the next race in Russia after a stewards’ investigation.
      Hamilton was quizzed about watching the incident back and realising just how close he came to suffering a potentially fatal accident.
      I am so grateful I’m still hereLewis Hamilton
      He added: “His rear wheel landed on my head. The rear wheel landed on the halo and I think the inside of the most cambered part of the inside of the tyre landed on my head.
      “I will probably need to see a specialist to make sure I’m good for the next race because it is getting tighter and tighter, but I’ll live.  
      “But it’s a big shock. I’ve been racing a long time and we are taking risks out there all the time.
      “It’s only when you experience something like that that you get that real shock and you look at life and realise how fragile we are.”
      Red Bull chief Christian Horner has praised the Halo and is relieved Hamilton didn’t suffer a serious injury at Monza.
      He told Sky Sports: “Most important thing today is that the Halo has done it’s job because it’s an awkward accident, thank God no one was hurt.
      “To portion the blame [for the crash] to one side or the other, I think for this particular incident that’s very difficult to do.”
      After Verstappen insisted he was not to blame for the collision, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff described it as a ‘tactical foul’.
      He told Sky Sports: “The stewards will decide who is to blame. In football you would call it a tactical foul. He knew that if Lewis stays ahead, then that is the race win.
      I’m a little bit stiff and sore on my neck because [Max’s tyre] landed on my head but I’ll be OK. Lewis Hamilton

      “When you look at Turn 4 earlier in the race, [Lewis] backed out of it, but it was clear for Max [before the incident] it would end up in a crash.
      “I’m sure the stewards will look at this properly but incidents like this will continue.
      “Maybe it will have to be another high speed crash and end up with someone on top of someone’s head again [for things to change].”
      Daniel Ricciardo went on to win the Italian GP, with his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris just behind him in second.
      It was Ricciardo’s first victory since his triumph at Monaco three years ago and McLaren’s first win in 3,213 DAYS.
      Hamilton’s Mercedes partner Valtteri Bottas completed the podium, while the Brit’s future colleague George Russell finished ninth.

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      Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen react to dangerous crash More

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      Lewis Hamilton inches from tragedy as Max Verstappen’s car LANDS on him in terrifying Italian GP crash

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      TITLE CONTENDERS Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen CRASHED out of the Italian Grand Prix after a spectacular crash at Monza.Both drivers are believed to be OK after the incident, with Hamilton appearing to avoid serious injury thanks to his car’s Halo.
      Hamilton and Verstappen collided at the Italian GPCredit: AP
      Hamilton appeared to be saved by his car’s Halo – a protective shield around his helmetCredit: AFP
      Verstappen went over the top of his title rival’s car
      Hamilton was narrowly leading the race when Verstappen in the Red Bull collided with the Brit’s Mercedes.
      The seven-time World Champ was coming out of the pits and into the first chicane with Verstappen in pursuit of his title rival.
      The Dutch star didn’t back down and hit the curb, flying into Hamilton.
      Speaking to his team on the radio after the incident, Verstappen said: “That’s what happens when you don’t give space.”
      Discussing the crash with Sky Sports, Hamilton said: “I’m a little bit stiff and sore on my neck because it [Max’s tyre] landed on my head but I’ll be OK.
      “I was racing as hard as I could and I was in the lead, as the team told me with the timings, so they pitted me.

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      “The stop was slow and I lost a couple of seconds – I came out, saw Daniel [it was Norris] come past, Max was coming and I made sure to leave a car’s width on the outside.
      “I was ahead into turn one, turned into turn two and then Max was on top of me.
      “It’s exactly the same scenario that happened at turn four where I was in the same position as Max and I gave way. That’s racing, this time he didn’t want to give way.
      “He knew what was going to happen but he didn’t back out – I don’t know what else to say.”
      Evidence suggests Hamilton’s was saved from serious injury by his Halo – a protective titanium ring around his helmet.
      Both drivers got out of their respective motors after the terrifying crashCredit: Splash

      The Halo was introduced in 2018 to prevent drivers from being hit by flying debris or suffering a severe head trauma.
      Many critics believe the incident was simply a driving crash and neither Hamilton nor Verstappen was at fault.
      Verstappen added: “We knew it would be tight. I went around the outside and he kept on squeezing me. I just wanted to race.
      “People will start to talk about Silverstone [when they also crashed] but I didn’t expect him to keep on squeezing and squeezing because we still would’ve had a car’s width out of Turn Two.
      The stewards will decide who is to blame. In football you would call it a tactical foul. He knew that if Lewis stays ahead, then that is the race win.Mercedes Chief Toto Wolff
      “I don’t know why he kept pushing wider and wider.
      “You need two people to work together to make the corner but unfortunately, we touched. If one guy is not willing to work, it is not going to happen.
      “It’s very unfortunate what happened today but I think we our professional enough to step over it. I think for sure we can talk about it.”
      Most important thing today is that the halo has done it’s job because it’s an awkward accident, thank god no one was hurt… To portion the blame to one side or the other, I think for this particular incident that’s very difficult to do.Red Bull boss Christian Horner
      Daniel Ricciardo went on to win the Italian GP, with his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris just behind him in second.
      It was Ricciardo’s first victory since his triumph at Monaco three years ago and McLaren’s first win in 3,213 DAYS.
      Hamilton’s Mercedes partner Valtteri Bottas completed the podium, while the Brit’s future colleague George Russell finished ninth.
      Mercedes confirm George Russell as Lewis Hamilton’s new F1 team-mate for 2022 season More

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      F1 Italian Grand Prix sprint qualifying LIVE: Bottas WINS sprint but Verstappen starts race on pole – latest updates

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      LEWIS HAMILTON will be gunning to take top spot back from Max Verstappen as the F1 season heads to Italy this weekend.The Dutchman Verstappen went to the top of the Driver’s Championship after his victory at home in the Dutch Grand Prix last week.
      And he will have pole at Monza after a dramatic qualifying session.

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      Follow all of the latest updates below…
      BOTTAS WINS THE SPRINT QUALIFYING RACE…
      Only this is not a race.
      And he won’t start in P1 due to engine penalties. He will start last.
      But he does get three bonus points.
      Verstappen, who is second and gets two points in the championship, will start on pole in his place.
      Hamilton is fifth after his poor start, misses out on any points.

      SLIGHT WOBBLE FOR HAMILTON
      But he’s kept it on track. He’s dropped time on Norris. Meanwhile, Bottas is 2.1 seconds ahead of Verstappen.

      SIX LAPS TO GO
      Hamilton is closing in on Norris but the McLaren man remains ahead with the world champion down in fifth.
      PEREZ GETS PAST STROLL
      But does it by ignoring the chicane. He’s been told to give the place back or risk a penalty from the stewards.
      SAFETY CAR IN THIS LAP
      The racing will resume and it is Bottas, Verstappen, Ricciardo.
      SMASH FOR GASLY
      The AlphaTauri man is caught up in the mayhem and he lost his front wing and is sent into the barriers. He is out.
      His teammate Yuki Tsunoda is also in the thick of it and tags Robert Kubica, sending the Alfa Romeo into a spin.
      HAMILTON GETS A BAD START
      The Mercedes man has dropped to fifth place after Norris and Ricciardo both leapfrogged him.
      FORMATION LAP
      All 20 cars are on the gird. Bottas starts on P1 but will start tomorrow’s pace in P20 regardless, due to engine penalties.
      All eyes on how Hamilton and Verstappen deal with Turn One.

      25 MINUTES UNTIL THE SPRINT QUALIFYING RACE
      Good to see Leclerc out on the grid after complaining of feeling unwell in final practice.

      BOTTAS GETS A PENALTY
      The Mercedes man knew it was looming and now the FIA have confirmed that he will get a 10-place grid penalty for tomorrow’s race for taking a new engine.
      MORE WOE FOR FERRARI
      Team are now working hard to fix Sainz’s car following his high speed crash in practice.
      Meanwhile, Leclerc stopped driving early in the session as he was complaining of feeling unwell.
      SESSION OVER – MERCEDES LEAD THE WAY
      Just as they had done in qualifying, it is the world champions who are quickest in Monza.
      Hamilton tops the session ahead of the sprint race coming up at 4:40pm local time – 3:30pm in the UK.

      MAZEPIN HAS BEEN DONE FOR SPEEING
      The Haas man was clocked at doing 86.6kmh in the pitlane, which is limited to 80kmh.
      It has triggered a €700 fine paid to the FIA coffers.
      PLENTY OF LONG RUNS – ON HEAVY FUEL LOADS
      And it is Hamilton who is quickest. Bottas in second, Verstappen in third and Perez in fourth.

      SESSION HAS RESTARTED
      Sainz has gone for medical checks while Ferrari will now need to rebuild his car in time for the sprint race.

      RED FLAG – SAINZ HAS CRASHED
      Just when I was saying how Ferrari needed to impress, Carlos Sainz has had a shunt.
      He is ok, but winded. The front of his car has suffered extensive damage.
      That was at one of the quickest sections of the track the Ascari corner.

      EYES ON FERRARI
      The Italian team have been largely invisible this season, but they are making progress. They are now quicker than McLaren and the third-placed team in the championship. Still, not good enough by their standards.

      NEAT GRAPHIC FROM MERCEDES ON THIS OLD TRACK

      SECOND PRACTICE IS ABOUT TO GET UNDERWAY IN MONZA
      Final chance to dial in the cars ahead of the Sprint Race later on today. ICYMI Valtteri Bottas was quickest ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Max Verstappen was in P3.
      GOOD NIGHT
      That’s all from us for tonight after an exhilarating day of qualifying in Monza for the Italian Grand Prix.
      The Grand Prix itself takes place on Sunday, but the F1 Sprint qualifying which happens tomorrow will determine the final grid placings ahead of the main race.
      There are also points up for grabs, which Valtteri Bottas will be determined to capitalise on after his grid penalty which places him at the back of the pack due to an engine change made to his car by Mercedes.
      Hamilton is well placed in P2 to potentially win his 100th career Grand Prix, meanwhile Verstappen salvaged what looked like being a disappointing day by nabbing P3 from under the nose of Lando Norris at the last minute.
      The two Ferrari drivers sit in P7 and P8 respectively and will almost certainly feel the pressure of the Italian crowd willing them on to earn maximum points at their home Grand Prix.
      Future Mercedes driver George Russell also sneaked in at P15 at the expense of Yuki Tsunoda, who sits in P17.
      All eyes will be on Sprint qualifying tomorrow after a day of near misses and controversies as drivers all scrambled to exit the pit lane and narrowly avoided colliding on various occasions.
      The drama will continue tomorrow as we prepare for another hugely exciting milestone in one of the most unpredictable Formula 1 seasons in living memory.

      CAN’T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN
      Despite Bottas’ excellent driving in qualifying, the Finn will start at the back of the grid on Sunday as a penalty after Mercedes decided to change the power unit in his car.
      Bottas won the Pirelli Speed King award after he clinched P1 in qualifying and will start at the front of the the grid for tomorrow’s F1 Sprint race.
      Points will be up for grabs in the sprint race, however, meaning Bottas will still be able to win points this weekend, despite starting the actual race at the back of the grid.
      Bottas said: “I think in Sprint obviously, there’s the possibility to get some few points, so of course [we’ll] try to get the maximum points tomorrow that we can and then it’s another fight on Sunday.
      “Now I just focus first on tomorrow and try to deal with it on Sunday, and, having a look at the pace we have here, I’m sure we can get some strong points on Sunday.”
      The last time Bottas started last on the grid was the 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he eventually finished P4, so the Finn can’t be written off just yet.

      ALL TO RACE FOR
      Here’s the official line up for tomorrow’s F1 Sprint qualifying to decide the official grid for Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.
      Mercedes are sitting pretty up top in P1 and P2, with McLaren also having a good qualifying with Norris and Ricciardo in P4 and P5.
      Gasly and Giovinazzi will also be relatively pleased with their qualifying efforts, sitting in P6 and P10 respectively.
      All eyes will be on Verstappen tomorrow in P3 and whether he can split the two Mercedes on the front row.

      COULD BE BETTER, COULD BE WORSE…
      What looked like being a typically bad day for Red Bull in Monza was rescued somewhat as Verstappen managed to steal P3 from Lando Norris right at the death of Q3.
      Verstappen said after the race that it was probably as good as they could have hoped for if they were being realistic and he was pretty happy with the result in the end
      But after the incredible scenes at the Dutch Grand Prix following Verstappen’s triumphant win at his home race, this will feel like a little bit of an anti-climax for Max and Red Bull.
      P9 for Sergio Perez will also be a bit of a disappointment after the Mexican was forced to assist Verstappen in trying to catch the two Mercedes, adding about half a second to his own time in doing so.
      It would take some doing, but with the sprint qualifying tomorrow offering Verstappen a chance getting the better of Hamilton and Bottas before the race on Sunday, you certainly can’t rule him out.

      🗣 “That’s a good team result, Checo has played a key role today. He did a great job giving Max the tow and allowing him the benefit of a hole in the air.” Christian on #ItalianGP Friday 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/E0Pt4onrLQ— Red Bull Racing Honda (@redbullracing) September 10, 2021

      CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR
      It’s been a good day for McLaren with Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo qualifying for the sprint race in P4 and P5 respectively, but they won’t help but feel a little disappointed thinking about what might have been.
      Norris was P3 and Ricciardo P4 right up until the last minute of Q3 and were threatening to usurp Hamilton and Bottas, when Verstappen registered an ever so slightly faster lap to sneak in ahead.
      Norris in particular drove very well in qualifying and will go into the sprint race with a restored confidence after a disappointing last couple of races.

      AFTERNOON DELIGHT
      It’s sheer delight for Bottas and the Mercedes team in the paddock as he came P1 after some incredible driving throughout qualifying, particularly in Q3.
      This puts him ahead of championship leaders Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen for the sprint qualification tomorrow, giving him a strong chance of winning some points ahead of the Grand Prix on Sunday.
      It will be fascinating to see how this all unfolds on Sunday…

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      What is F1 sprint race qualifying, and how does it work?

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      F1 Sprint is happening again today with the new race format set to dazzle spectators and excite the masses across another two weekends this season. It made its debut at the British Grand Prix in Northamptonshire earlier this summer, but now it’s back for the Italian GP this weekend.

      Your favourite stars from Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen will be taking part in the feature race this afternoon.
      So what exactly is it?
      What is F1 Sprint?
      F1 Sprint will be part of the race schedule this weekend at Monza.
      Essentially, F1 Sprint is a mini race which will be run over 100km on Saturday evening, with the usual Grand Prix distance.
      F1 Sprint is designed to be a flat-out race from start to finish, and is set to excite the 140,000 fans in attendance.

      The second edition will take place from 3.30pm UK time TODAY.
      Taking part will be the 20 drivers who qualified on Friday evening and their starting positions will be determined by their qualifying finishes.
      Wherever you finish in F1 Sprint will then determine where you begin the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.
      Should you win F1 Sprint, you will start in pole position on Sunday, but should you finish in eighth position, you will start in eighth for the main race.
      F1 Sprint will take place on Saturday, July 17Credit: PA
      The 100km distance means that the race will be 17 laps around the nearly 4-mile Silverstone track.
      F1 Sprint is expected to last around 25-30 minutes, with its fast and exciting nature expected to appeal to viewers and reel in new fans.
      Whoever finishes first in F1 Sprint will receive three points, second place will get two points and third place will receive just one. More

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      Lewis Hamilton outshone by departing team-mate Bottas for sprint qualifying race at Italian GP

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      LEWIS HAMILTON was outshone by axed team-mate Valtteri Bottas for Saturday’s sprint qualifying race.The Finn, who has been shown the door at Mercedes and signed for Alfa Romeo next season, could not hide his delight at taking P1 for Formula One’s new Saturday race, designed to help spice up the action.
      Lewis Hamilton was beaten to P1 by departing team-mate Valtteri BottasCredit: Getty
      The Finn pipped Hamilton ahead of Saturday’s sprint qualifying raceCredit: Getty
      It is the second time F1 have tried the sprint qualifying idea after its debut at Silverstone — a 30-minute race to decide the grid for Sunday’s grand prix.
      And Hamilton, who will start in second place Saturday, is eyeing up landing pole for the actual Italian GP on Sunday, which would also earn him three bonus points.
      The seven-time champion — who was interviewed by Felipe Massa, the man he beat to the title by a point in 2008 — said: “Every point counts and it was looking pretty good for us until the end, and then Valtteri went quicker.
      “But it was well deserved. As we’ve seen, a championship can be lost by one point.
      “There has been a lot of points lost on both sides. These sprint races can help close that gap.”
      Hamilton’s main championship rival, Max Verstappen — who leads the drivers’ standings by three points following his win in his home grand prix in Holland last weekend — will line up in third place.
      The Red Bull star said: “For us, it was always going to be difficult.
      “We struggled a little bit and for the race hopefully it will be a bit closer.”

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      Bottas, who faces grid penalties in Sunday’s race for taking a new engine, said: “I am relaxed now everything is sorted for the future and pleased for the team today.
      “The car felt so good and I am now focused on the race and to do the best job I can on Sunday.”
      His replacement at Mercedes, George Russell, will start down in 15th place for the sprint qualifying race in his Williams, while fellow Brit Lando Norris, starts in fourth for McLaren.

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      Mercedes confirm George Russell as Lewis Hamilton’s new F1 team-mate for 2022 season More