Race Notes - Alonso wins Italian GP for Ferrari

Fernando Alonso won the Italian Grand Prix, at Monza, today, winning the home race for the Ferrari team by 2.9 seconds over Jenson Button in his McLaren-Mercedes and 4.2 seconds over his Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa in third place.

Button took the lead from pole-sitter Alonso at the start, but lost out to the Spaniard at the pitstop, with a quick stop by the Ferrari team. World championship leader coming into the day, Lewis Hamilton was out on the first lap after suffering damage when coming together with Massa.

Sebastian Vettel (28.1s) in the Red Bull-Renault finished fourth, followed by Nico Rosberg (29.9s) in the Mercedes GP in fifth, Mark Webber (31.2s) in the Red Bull in sixth, Nico Hulkenberg (32.8s) in the Williams-Cosworth in seventh, Robert Kubica (34.0s) in the Renault in eighth, Michael Schumacher (44.9s) in the second Mercedes GP in ninth, and Rubens Barrichello (64.2s) in the second Williams in the final points paying position.

Mark Webber retakes the lead in the driver's standing with 187 points over Hamilton with 182 points, Alonso jumps from fifth to third with 166 points, over Button with 165, Vettel with 163 and Massa with 124 points. In the constructors' championship Red Bull-Renault continues to lead with 350 points over McLaren-Mercedes with 347, and Ferrari with 290 points.

The win is Alonso's third for the season, and 24th of his career.

Before the start, Kamui Kobayashi will start his BMW Sauber from the pitlane from his 13th qualifying position, with an apparent last minute problem. The top ten cars all starting on the soft, option Bridgestone tyres.

At the start, Button takes the lead over pole-sitter Alonso into the first chicane. Ferrari team mates Alonso and Massa battle side by side into the second chicane, Alonso taking second - Lewis Hamilton tries to get inside Massa, and hits the Ferrari, damaging his front right suspension. The suspension then fails at the Lesmo curve, and Hamilton goes off into the gravel trap - the championship leader coming into the race's day is done.

At the end of lap 1 Button leads Alonso, Massa, Rosberg, Kubica, Hulkenberg, Vettel, Schumacher, Webber and Sebastien Buemi in tenth place.

Replay's of the start show a piece from Button's McLaren coming off at the first chicane, with possible contact with Alonso's front nose.

On lap 3 Adrian Sutil pits early.

On lap 6 Webber passes Schumacher for eighth place into the first chicane, Schumacher battles back, but stays ninth.

Alonso continue's to chase Button, running less than a second behind the leader - Massa right behind. Webber closes up on his team mate Vettel in seventh - Webber is told on his radio to take care of his tyres, expecting a long first stint.

At lap 10 Button leads Alonso by 0.6 seconds, followed by Massa (1.5s), Rosberg (7.4s), Kubica (9.6s), Hulkenberg (10.4s), Vettel (11.1s), Webber (11.9s), Schumacher (14.4s) and Buemi (17.9s) in tenth place.

On lap 11 Vitantonio Liuzzi passes De la Rosa for 12th place.

On lap 13 Bruno Senna pulls off the track and retires his HRT. Button pulls out to a 1.6 second lead over Alonso, Alonso responds with a fastest lap. Sutil, slowly making his way from the back after an early stop, taking 19th.

On lap 16 Jaime Alguersuari pits, followed by Pedro de la Rosa on the next lap.

On lap 19 Massa gets sideways braking for the Ascari chicane and cuts the corner but continues - losing a second from the leaders.

On lap Vettel is reporting an engine problem to the pits - his team mate Webber passes him for eighth place.

At lap 20 Button continues to lead Alonso by 0.9 seconds, followed by Massa (3.8s) in third, Rosberg (14.5s), Kubica (17.1s), Hulkenberg (18.2s), Webber (19.7s), Vettel (20.4s), Schumacher (24.0s) and Buemi (31.6s) in tenth place.

Alguersuari is given a drive-through penalty for gaining an advantage after missing the second chicane. Massa sets the fastest lap.

On lap 24 Yamamoto pits - during the stop he hits one of his crew, but reports are that he is conscious and was taken to the medical centre. Alonso cuts Button's lead to half a second, while the leaders start to encounter traffic.

On lap 25 Heikki Kovalainen pits, Timo Glock pits the next lap. Jarno Trulli and Lucas di Grassi pit on lap 27. Button sets the fastest lap.

At lap 30 the order remains the same, Button leading Alonso by 0.9 seconds, followed by Massa (3.8s), Rosberg (19.6s), Kubica (21.8s), Hulkenberg (23.5s), Webber (24.2s), Vettel (25.6s), Schumacher (32.0s) and Buemi (43.7s) in tenth place.

Alonso and then Massa set fastest lap.

On lap 32 Liuzzi pits from 12th place.

On lap 34 Kubica pits from fifth place, and rejoins in ninth. Buemi pits from 10th. Massa sets fastest lap.

On lap 35 Rosberg pits from fourth and Webber pits from sixth.

On lap 37 Button pits from the lead, rejoining in third place. Hulkenberg pits from fourth, rejoining with Kubica and Webber battling him into the first chicane. Hulkenberg keeps the position, Webber passes Kubica on the run to the second chicane.

On lap 38 Alonso pits from the lead, and rejoins ahead of Button and holds him off into the first chicane - taking the lead over the McLaren. Massa pits on the next lap, rejoining behind Button in third place.

Alonso sets the fastest lap. Hulkenberg cuts the the chicane while defending fifth place from Webber - staying ahead of the Red Bull.

At lap 40 Alonso leads Button buy 1.2 seconds, followed by Massa (4.3s), Vettel (6.1s), still yet to pit, Rosberg (25.3s), Hulkenberg (28.0s), Webber (29.0s), Kubica (30.1s), Schumacher (37.7s) and Vitaly Petrov (47.7s) in tenth place.

On lap 42 Alonso re-sets fastest lap and extends his lead to 1.8 seconds.

Webber complains to his team that Hulkenberg cut the chicane - the team informs him that Hulkenberg will not let him past.

On lap 45 Alonso sets fastest lap again, his lead is now 3.7 seconds over Button. As he crosses the line, Webber then sets the fastest lap. Vettel in fourth and Petrov in tenth, still yet to make a pitstop. Alonso sets fastest lap on lap 48.

On lap 49 Trulli pulls off the track, his Lotus smoking. Webber continues to battle Hulkenberg for sixth place.

On lap 50 Webber passes Hulkenberg for sixth.

At lap 50 Alonso leads Button by 3.7 seconds, followed by Massa (5.7s), Vettel (8.7s), Rosberg (28.7s), Webber (32.4s), Hulkenberg (33.7s), Kubica (34.3s), Schumacher (44.4s) and Barrichello (63.1s).

Alonso runs over the inside of the first chicane, but continues.

On lap 52 Vettel (his engine problems no longer apparent) pits from fourth place, and rejoins without losing a position. Alonso sets another fastest lap.

Alonso takes the checked flag to win the Italian Grand Prix in his first season for Ferrari, to the delight of the Tifosi.