Italian GP 2015

SEPTEMBER 6, 2015

Race Notes - Hamilton wins in Italy

Lewis Hamilton, Italian GP 2015
© The Cahier Archive

 

Lewis Hamilton dominated the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in his Mercedes GP, 25 seconds ahead of Sebastian Vettels Ferrari in second place, and Felipe Massa in his Williams-Mercedes, 47.6 seconds behind the leader in third.

The win is Hamiltons seventh victory of this season and his 40th career win. Mercedes GP has now taken 10 of the 12 races so far this season.

Valtteri Bottas (47.9s) finished just behind his Williams team mate Massa in fourth place, followed by Kimi Raikkonen (1m08.8s) in the second Ferrari in fifth, Sergio Perez (1m12.7s) in the Force India-Mercedes in sixth, his team mate Nico Hulkenberg (1 lap) in seventh, Daniel Ricciardo in his Red Bull-Renault was eighth, Marcus Ericsson in the Sauber-Ferrari was ninth and Daniil Kvyat in the second Red Bull finished in the final points paying position.

Before the start the weather was fine with no expected chance of rain for the Italian GP.

Hamilton once again was on pole, but with the Ferrari of Raikkonen alongside. Vettel and Rosberg on the second row, the Williamses of Massa and Bottas on row three, Perez and Grosjean on row four and Hulkenberg and Maldonado rounding out the top ten.

Raikkonen bogs down when the lights go out and is momentarily stopped. Hamilton takes the lead followed by Vettel, Massa, Bottas, Perez, Rosberg, Grosjean, Nasr and Hulkenberg. Raikkonen gets off slowly and runs18th.

At the end of the first lap Rosberg passes Perez for fifth place. Maldonado pits.

On lap 2 Grosjean pulls off the track and retires. Raikkonen passes Ricciardo at the Parabolica to take 11th.

Hulkenberg reports that he has some damge at the front of his Force India.

Grosjean was reportly out due to rear suspension damage.

On lap 5 Raikkonen passes Sainz for 10th. Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m27.780s.

At lap 5 Hamilton leads Vettel by 2.7 seconds, followed by Massa (5.5s), Bottas (6.6s), Rosberg (7.1s), Perez (11.3s), Hulkenberg (15.6s), Ericsson (16.9s), Raikkonen (23.4s), and Button (24.1s) in tenth place.

On lap 6 Raikkonen passes Button for ninth.

On lap 9 Rosberg is closing on Bottas in fourth, but the team tells him to watch his front brake wear.

Sainz is handed a five second drive-through penalty for gaining an advantage off-track and serves it in the pits, taking on another set of soft-tyres.

Hulkenberg is reporting a strange exhaust sound from his Force India-Mercedes.

At lap 15 Hamilton continues to lead with a 8.2 second lead over Vettel, followed by Massa (16.3s), Bottas (18.2s), Rosberg (19.3s), Perez (23.9s), Hulkenberg (30.5s), Ericsson (32.9s), Raikkonen (35.0s) and Ricciardo (46.5s) in tenth place.

On lap 17 Verstappen passes Button at the Parabolica for 12th place.

On lap 19 Rosberg pits from fifth for what should be his only stop, switching over to medium compound tyres, resuming in eighth place.

Massa, Hulkenberg, and Verstappen pit as well.

Rosberg passes Massa as the Brazilian reenters the track.

On lap 20 Raikkonen passes Ericsson at the first chicane for seventh place.

Ericsson then pits and switches to medium tyres, and rejoins in 11th.

On lap 23 Bottas pits from third place for medium tyres.

Hamilton is reporting that his front left tyre is degrading and that he is getting some understeer.

Perez pits from third place, and continues.

On lap 25 Vettel pits from second place, taking on medium tyres and resumes ahead of Raikkonen who is yet to pit.

Leader Hamilton pits the next lap for medium tyres and comes out still in the lead. Button also pits. Rosberg sets fast lap.

Ferrari tell Raikkonen in third place, ºWe need to push now."

On lap 28 Vettel sets fast lap at 1m27.548s. Raikkonen pits for medium compound tyres. Perez passes Ricciardo, but the Australian takes the position back. At the end of the lap Perez makes the move stick and takes sixth at the first chicane. Ricciardo makes his first stop.

At lap 30 Hamilton continues to lead Vettel by 19.1 seconds, followed by Rosberg (23.7s), Massa (27.6s), Bottas (33.3s), Perez (43.3s), Hulkenberg (52.2s), Raikkonen (53.4s), Ericsson (54.2s) and Ricciardo (70.6s) in tenth place.

On lap 31 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m27.544.

On lap 32 Sainz pits and switches back to soft tyres. Raikkonen passes Ericsson at Ascari and takes eighth place. The next lap in the DRS zone Raikkonen gets Hulkenberg as well and takes seventh.

On lap 35 Hamilton sets another fast lap at 1m27.125s.

On lap 36 Verstappen makes his third pit stop, while Hamilton goes quicker at 1m26.890s.

On lap 38 Verstappen passes Nasr on the outside of the first chicane to take 13th place.

At lap 40 Hamilton still leads Vettel by 22.4 seconds, and is followed by Rosberg (26.1s), Massa (34.5s), Bottas (40.0s), Perez (55.8s), Raikkonen (59.7s), Hulkenberg (67.7s), Ericsson (68.2s) and Ricciardo (79.9s) in tenth place.

Ericsson is closing on Hulkenberg in eighth place, while Raikkonen is closing Perez in sixth place.

On lap 48 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m26.672 seconds, Mercedes tells Hamilton curiously to push hard now and not to ask questions. The Mercedes brain-trust is in deep discussion in the pits

Raikkonen passes Perez for seventh at the first chicane. Alonso retires to the pits.

On lap 51 Rosberg pulls off on track and retires with an engine failure.

Hamilton continues to ask Mercedes what he should do, and is told to continue what he is doing, but to not take any risks.

On lap 53 Bottas is on the tail of his team mate Massa looking for the final podium position.

Hamilton wins, Vettel second and Massa finishes third just ahead of Bottas.