italian grand prix italian grand prix formally known formula formula motor race held september italy race twelfth round season marked eighty fifth running italian grand prix mercedes defending race winner entered point lead teammate drivers championship points mercedes lead championship points ferrari williams points hamilton completed second grand slam career winning race taking pole position setting fastest lap leading lap race finished seconds ahead finished williams retired laps engine failure resulting hamilton extending lead drivers championship points hamilton victory confirmed hours race following investigation race discovered left rear tyre mercedes recommended minimum tyre pressure standards random check procedural inconsistencies sanctions imposed mercedes driver team report background tyre supplier brought white banded medium compound tyre harder prime tyre yellow banded soft compound softer option compound opposed previous year company brought hard compound prime medium compound option head track engineering praised updated choice challenge teams time corners addition going pure speed putting better fans received criticism drivers commentators following tyre failures cars prior italian grand prix formula commercial rights holder called drivers concerns saying going let good job lotus team cars following belgium weeks earlier managed cars time despite financial troubles team said funds rest season contract negotiations high agenda prior weekend williams announcing team retain signed new year deal force india additional talking point future italian grand prix event risk dropped calendar race ferrari spoke favour venue saying race away calendar money reasons basically hearts terms technical developments ferrari upgraded engine home race development mercedes spent seven remaining engine result mercedes team use ferrari having remaining having left later season changes mercedes cars whilst fourth power units additionally received grid penalties exceeding parts usage forcing start grid went nose design replaced earlier season ahead austrian order achieve better lower drag high speed circuit prior race leading world championship points clear teammate place points standings mercedes points ferrari williams second points respectively free practice regulations season practice sessions held minute sessions friday hour session qualifying saturday guardian described dominant performance mercedes lead times practice sessions friday second occasions session friday morning hamilton led teammate half second second fastest driver powered car trailed hamilton seconds replaced lotus practice ended session half second teammate pace fifteenth briefly brought red flag got stuck gravel spinning second practice session friday afternoon ferrari able reduce gap mercedes little seven tenths second hamilton seconds teammate time leading sectors losing fastest time final sector force india cars split finishing sixth second driver day spin gravel able continue losing control car technical problems australian cut run short issue button summoned pits laps unspecified problem session saturday morning finished fastest time second hamilton time session started slightly wet track caused rain night soon dried session marred technical problem time engine failure newly equipped power unit teammate productive session spent time garage setting seventeenth best time qualifying qualifying consisted parts minutes length respectively drivers eliminated competing sessions qualifying began saturday afternoon mercedes forced change power unit car belgium run races finding issue new specification unit lotus forced borrow tyre blankets teams rendered rain night session began track fast lap disrupted later incident spent session pits able set lap sufficient proceed second qualifying went engine cover blown scattering track debris end session cars affected drivers eliminated timed runs seven tenths second quicker teammate split pair place provisional second mercedes drivers set second timed lap improve time little tenth hamilton drivers set timed lap end session unable set time leaving fifteenth time contested drivers set time hamilton immediately went faster setting time eventually secured pole position went faster tenths second hamilton timed runs moved ahead qualify row improved time stayed fourth grid later refer old power unit main reason qualifying performance posted time good ninth car came halt pit lane entrance team fuel car williams qualified fifth sixth respectively teammate seventh ahead marcus rounded later dropped twelfth grid hamilton eleventh pole position races season far handed drive penalty served laps race unsafe pit release qualifying expressed delight row performance saying team surprised strong result calling best qualifying year team race race got way ferrari remained spot started cars passed finn hamilton got teammate avoid car lost places williams lotus drivers forced retire end second lap contact car damaged chassis went charged field twelfth place lap quickly increased advantage moved second window unable pass track told team cool brakes sponsored cars moved order fighting tenth position yielded place lap needed pits second penalty handed cutting start lap hamilton led seconds williams fifth place pushing enabling long german force lap runners come attempting williams forced pit shortly came lap later lap emerging pits lap hamilton pitted hamilton leading ferrari seconds point stop place easily overtaken lap lap original tyres moved past sixth position mexican retrieve lap later end lap pitted collided pit entrance stop finn emerged tenth quickly moved order taking eighth lap lap moved seconds moved seventh expense lap encountered track allowed closer trailing seconds lap mercedes told hamilton increase speed giving driver explanation hamilton leading seconds came unexpected later proved caused fact hamilton left rear tyre little pressure start leading team fear time penalty race retired race lap loss power lap later moved sixth place overtaking force india lap moving closer engine failed forcing retire handing final spot podium defended position teammate final lap finished race victory described best weekend driven finished seconds ahead post race hours race hamilton victory debate left rear tyres found tyre pressure regulated stated post race press conference aware issue williams officials called hamilton disqualification pointing safety issue eventually decided action stating making determination pressure noted tyre warming blankets disconnected power source normal procedure tyres significantly maximum permitted tyre blanket temperature time measurement grid significantly different temperatures cars measured grid satisfied team followed currently specified procedure supervised tyre manufacturer safe operation tyres decide action podium interview conducted film director expressed gratitude team fans venue asked lap fight teammate stated getting old said team getting old laps race fighting team mate difficult managed post race press conference hamilton expressed surprise championship lead aware retirement point asked tyre pressure issue defended hamilton saying think fair hand question lewis doesn know going lot respect good job today accept following race team principal said mercedes worrying step forward new engine specification admitting team league moment raced old specification version power unit described race massive step wrong direction race team revealed turned engine order help catch closing stages team later admitted new power unit risk result race extended lead championship points teammate second place finish meant moved closer trailing points championship mercedes led field points ferrari williams second points respectively classification qualifying notes marcus received spot grid penalty dropped places penalty incurred received place grid penalty assortment changes power unit received place grid penalty assortment changes power unit received place grid penalty assortment changes power unit received place grid penalty changing ninth moved place severe penalties incurred drivers received place grid penalty changing ninth moved place severe penalties incurred drivers received place grid penalty assortment changes power unit placed 17th position failed set qualifying time allowed start final grid spot race notes classified completed race distance championship standings race note positions included sets standings
2015 Italian Grand Prix