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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Daniel Moxon

George Russell and Max Verstappen respond to Lewis Hamilton performance at Monza

Max Verstappen and George Russell couldn't help but be impressed by an eye-catching double overtake pulled off by Lewis Hamilton during the Italian Grand Prix.

The seven-time world champion faced a tough task to get a result at Monza. He started 19th on the grid after a huge penalty for new engine parts, leaving him well out of contention before the race even began.

And his plans took a further hit at the very start of the race, as he got caught up in traffic going round the first chicane. He was forced into the run-off area, sustaining a small amount of damage as he came back onto the track dead last.

Even as the opening stages went by, his progress was limited. By lap seven he was still languishing in 18th, and apparently struggling to make the sort of early progress through the pack that he would have wanted.

But eventually he got some traction, and by lap 17 he was threatening the points places. It was on lap 36 that his main highlight was produced, as he took Lando Norris and Pierre Gasly in the same move to secure seventh position.

That particular move was shown on the TV in the cool down room after the race, as the top three waited to stand on the podium. "Double overtake," said Verstappen as he pointed it out, while Russell simply said: "Oh wow!" as he watched the move from his Mercedes team-mate.

Lewis Hamilton drove from 19th to fifth at Monza (PA)

Speaking after the race, Hamilton told Sky Sports: "It was a good race. I didn't expect... the guys were saying anywhere between sixth and fourth was possible, which felt like a stretch for me. But I had fun.

"It was tricky in the beginning, with the car heavy and behind everyone, trying to avoid a collision at the first corner and ended up getting stuck behind an AlphaTauri once again.

"But I'm really grateful that I got through and got those points. In the end, the two guys behind had fresher tyres so I'm kinda glad that it finished the way it did."

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