AUSTRALIAN Daniel Ricciardo has won the Italian Grand Prix as McLaren secured a stunning one-two finish in Monza on Sunday.<\/p>\n
It was Ricciardo’s first Formula 1 win since Monaco in 2018 and McLaren’s first since Jenson Button saluted in Brazil in 2012.<\/p>\n
Starting second on the grid, Ricciardo finished 1.747 seconds ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris to claim his eighth career Grand Prix victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout time,\u201d Ricciardo told Sky Sports.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt worked well for me yesterday [Saturday], and to be honest even if we got the start [from second on the grid] it was never a guarantee we\u2019d lead the whole race.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was able to just hold firm out front [in] the first stint. I don\u2019t think we had mega speed, but it was enough to keep Max [Verstappen] behind.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo lead literally from start to finish – I don\u2019t think any of us expected that. There was something in me on Friday – I knew something good was to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mercedes\u2019 Valtteri Bottas finished in third, while championship leader Max Verstappen and defending champion Lewis Hamilton crashed out on lap 26.<\/p>\n
McLaren clinched 45 points to move up to third in the team standings behind Red Bull and Mercedes.<\/p>\n
Verstappen holds a five-point lead over Hamilton in the driver standings after 14 rounds.<\/p>\n
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