Monza
Pierre Gasly secured a maiden Formula One triumph on Sunday when he won a tumultuous Italian Grand Prix for the Alpha Tauri team after crashes, penalties and safety cars had tipped expectations upside down at Monza.
The first French race winner in 24 years seized his opportunity and resisted late pressure from Carlos Sainz of McLaren to claim his team's second victory with Lance Stroll finishing third for Racing Point.
"It was such a crazy race," said Gasly.
It was the Alpha Tauri outfit's second win on Italian soil - the first having been scored for them when they raced as Toro Rosso by Sebastian Vettel, his maiden F1 win in a rain-hit race in 2008.
Winner AlphaTauri's French driver Pierre Gasly celebrates on the podium after the Italian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza on September 6, 2020.
Photo credit: Luca Bruno | AFP
Pole sitter Lewis Hamilton was on his way to a comfortable win before a 10-second stop-go penalty for taking a pit stop when the pit lane was closed, pushed the Mercedes world champion to the back of the pack.
Gasly, who was dropped by Red Bull to rejoin the junior sister team last year, jumped for joy as he leapt from his car, was the first French driver to win a Grand Prix since Olivier Panis was triumphant at the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix.
"Honestly, it's unbelievable," said the 24-year-old from Rouen.
AlphaTauri's French driver Pierre Gasly reacts after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza on September 6, 2020.
Photo credit: Miguel Medina | AFP
"I don't think I'm realising what's happening right now. We've been through so much in the past 18 months. I have no words."
"You wouldn't believe I would have a chance at victory, but in a normal race I think I could have finished second behind Lewis."
Lando Norris came home fourth in the second McLaren ahead of Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes and Daniel Ricciardo of Renault.
Despite the penalty, Hamilton still managed to extend his record run to 41 successive points finishes.
Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton competes during the Italian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza on September 6, 2020.
Photo credit: Jennifer Lorenzini | AFP
Hamilton also had the fastest lap of the race on Sunday as he finished ahead of Esteban Ocon in the second Renault, Daniil Kvyat in the second Alpha Tauri and Sergio Perez in the second Racing Point.
Ferrari endured another torrid weekend with last year's winner from pole position Charles Leclerc walking away after surviving a high-speed crash that led to the decisive 25-minute red-flag interruption.
Four-time champion Vettel, who is leaving Ferrari after this season, retired after a brakes failure while Max Verstappen of Red Bull also retired with engine problems.
