italian grand prix italian grand prix formally formula motor race held september italy 14th race formula season lap race won team starting pole position finished second began race started safety car ahead second started rain early race allowed establish solid lead extended track dried finished starting 11th eighth respectively driver drivers championship leader able field qualifying 15th finishing seventh place rival ferrari victory youngest driver win formula race years days addition giving team maiden formula win record broken aged years days spanish grand prix scored point hamilton driver lead championship races remaining second placed finish closer catching ferrari championship report background heading 14th race season driver led drivers championship points ferrari driver second points points hamilton hamilton drivers championship points fourth points teammate fifth points championship ferrari leading points second points points points battle fourth place toyota points ahead points previous race hamilton cutting gaining advantage closing laps meant hamilton demoted position giving victory lodged appeal decision result heard september reflecting controversy vice president said disappointment big took away victory hamilton team fighters needed better motivation races season went airport sunday evening lewis said want win remaining races don objection following rain soaked expressed hope italian grand prix held dry track saying nice rain opportunity consistent race close nature championship meant ferrari home race potential turning point season testing circuit early september indicated performance gap ferrari narrowed despite ferrari hoping straight line speed better suited long ferrari confirmed september continue drive team ending media speculation retire practice qualifying practice sessions held race held friday morning second friday afternoon sessions lasted minutes session held saturday morning lasted hour sessions affected rain second giving teams chance run dry weather tyres quickest time session half second quicker fastest drivers quickest seconds conditions poor drivers including failed set times session stopped minutes early time cars entered track minutes track dried second session adapted best changed conditions lap significantly quicker morning time fastest teammate hamilton rounded fastest final session time followed hamilton completed laps finished time seconds qualifying session saturday afternoon split parts ran minutes eliminated cars qualifying finished session 16th lower second qualifying lasted minutes eliminated cars finished positions final qualifying determined positions tenth decided pole position cars competed final session qualifying allowed refuel race carried fuel previous sessions youngest driver history formula pole position time wet conditions joined row grid qualified final lap pushed fourth position took sixth position rounded qualified 11th blaming late rain second qualifying session position qualified 12th force india best grid position season hamilton blamed late entry second session poor qualifying times saw eliminated 14th 15th positions respectively hamilton originally ran standard wet weather tyres time changed extreme wet weather tyres rain intensified result outside qualifying season time hamilton career failed progress final qualifying session race heavy rain prior race track slippery rain expected day air temperature track started race pit lane teams choosing adjustments qualifying set ups cars cars extreme wet weather tyres race began local time utc safety car rain meaning rolling start car stalled grid pushed pits time team restarted car position lap safety car pulled pit lane end second lap retained lead corner followed passed passed later lap immediately opened lead seconds driver experienced visibility problems result spray regained seventh passed lap track began dry hamilton passed lap 12th 13th positions respectively lap hamilton attempted pass corner cutting emerging ahead ferrari gave place returning advantage avoiding penalty spun lap seven losing place continued open lead lap stood seconds hamilton passed separate manoeuvres laps hamilton took 11th position lap ferrari turn collided laps later result contact force india wing broke loose lodged car consequently lost control turn spinning gravel trap retiring overtook fourth lap beginning close fight drivers repeatedly exchanged positions laps eventually consolidated fourth position lap hamilton passed separate manoeuvres sit seventh lap pitted position lap pitted laps later light rain began fall lap lasted minutes hamilton completed pit stops following laps driver try intermediate wet weather tyres pitted lap lost grip wet went straight took pit stops race soon changing intermediate tyres lap majority field running intermediate tyres passed turn lap australian spun corner managed retain seventh position lap later hamilton turn demoted driver eighth hamilton began fastest recording lap second faster placed lap saw drivers set consecutive new fastest laps beaten superseded set lap attempted pass hamilton cars touched wheels forced escape road emerged hamilton returned position continued field passed separate manoeuvres ninth position attempted pass turn succeeded turning red bull sending gravel trap pitted new wing dropped 17th crossed finish line lap seconds youngest driver formula history win grand prix stop strategies paid finished fourth respectively hamilton rounded finished ninth position setting fastest final lap post race finishers appeared podium subsequent press conference acknowledged support team saying set car perfectly suited way race developed drivers congratulated hamilton said pressure easier mistakes obviously didn good job grand prix marked win italian based team win ferrari team principal paid tribute team use ferrari engines saying deserve close happy work giving engine expressed disappointment finishing second saying clearly possible win today strong weekend little bit problem earlier race couple especially extreme wet tyre problems warm brakes struggling find time trying faster kept pushing end got little bit better think maximum today picked good points look forward grand prix hamilton satisfied performance race saying today damage control came away points kept lead world drivers championship said hoped better added managed point nearest rival absolutely negative result took points race compared hamilton narrowed gap drivers championship point races remaining second placed finish closed gap championship ferrari points placed said strategy allowed changing track conditions stop best time change intermediate tyres polish driver said racing italy particularly special having lived country years divided helmet pieces italian colours polish colours similar strategy said result today good supposed race looking forward toyota failure score race meant tied points classification qualifying race started race pit lane championship standings race bold text indicates theoretical chance note positions included sets standings
2008 Italian Grand Prix