Ricciardo wins Italian GP as Verstappen and Hamilton crash

Crash between title rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen gives Ricciardo victory

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS R Championship leader Max Verstappen and defending champion Lewis Hamilton crashed out of the Italian Grand Prix, which was won by McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo on Sunday.

It was McLaren's first win in nearly nine years, since Jenson Button took the chequered flag in Brazil in 2012.

It was also Ricciardo's first win since Monaco in 2018. He finished 1.747 seconds ahead of teammate Lando Norris and 4.921 ahead of Valtteri Bottas, who turned in a strong performance after starting from the back of the grid after a penalty for taking a new engine.

But the biggest talking point of the race came on lap 26.

Hamilton had pitted from the lead and returned to the track just in front of Verstappen. The Red Bull driver tried to come up the inside on a turn as the seven-time champion defended his position.

As the two made contact, Verstappen's car catapulted on to the top of the Mercedes as both slid into the gravel. The protective halo ring at the front of F1 car cockpits may have saved Hamilton from serious injury.

That's what you get when you don't leave the space, said a furious Verstappen over team radio.

Both drivers were able to walk away from their cars though Hamilton took a long time getting out of his, only clambering out after Verstappen had long gone.