September 03, (THEWILL) – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen cemented his place in Formula One history on Sunday, by claiming a record-breaking 10th consecutive race win at the Italian Grand Prix.
The Dutchman dominated around Monza’s Temple of Speed to take the chequered flag ahead of teammate Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Starting from second on the grid, Verstappen wasted no time in overtaking pole-sitter Sainz, making what proved to be the race-winning move on lap 15. From there he controlled the race beautifully, finishing over 16 seconds clear of Perez.
His victory marked Red Bull’s 15th in a row, another unprecedented statistic in the sport’s history. For Ferrari, racing on home soil, it was a weekend of mixed emotions. Sainz delighted the passionate Tifosi by claiming his first podium of the season, but teammate Charles Leclerc could only manage fourth after a late battle with the Mercedes of George Russell. Both Ferrari drivers also earned five-second time penalties.
With his latest win, Verstappen has now triumphed in 12 of the 14 races so far this season. He holds a dominant 145-point lead over Perez in the championship standings. For the Dutchman, still only 25, his feat cements his status as one of the all-time greats of the sport.
Verstappen was delighted after the race, stating: “That is remarkable, be proud. It’s been an amazing day and it’s great motivation to keep this momentum going.” Eight rounds remain in the 2022 season for him to extend his record streak even further.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
