2008 Italian Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 14 of 18 in the 2008 Formula One season | |||
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| Date | 14 September 2008 | ||
| Official name | LXXIX Gran Premio Santander d'Italia | ||
| Location | Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 5.793 km (3.6 mi) | ||
| Distance | 53 laps, 306.720 km (190.58 mi) | ||
| Weather | Heavy rain, dry towards the end | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | ||
| Time | 1:37.555 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Kimi Räikkönen
|
Ferrari | |
| Time | 1:28.047 on lap 53 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | ||
| Second | McLaren-Mercedes | ||
| Third | BMW Sauber | ||
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The 2008 Italian Grand Prix (formally the LXXIX Gran Premio Santander d'Italia) was a Formula One motor race held on 14 September 2008 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy. It was the 14th race of the 2008 Formula One season. The 53-lap race was won by Sebastian Vettel for the Toro Rosso team after starting from pole position. Heikki Kovalainen finished second in a McLaren, and Robert Kubica third in a BMW Sauber.
Vettel began the race, started under the safety car, ahead of Kovalainen in second. Red Bull's Mark Webber started from third. Rain early in the race allowed Vettel to establish a solid lead over Kovalainen, which he extended as the track dried. Kubica and Fernando Alonso finished in the top four after starting from 11th and eighth, respectively. McLaren driver and Drivers' Championship leader Lewis Hamilton was able to move through the field after qualifying in 15th, finishing in seventh, one place behind rival Felipe Massa, of Ferrari.
Vettel's victory made him the youngest driver to win a Formula One race, at 21 years 73 days in addition to giving Toro Rosso (which was formerly Minardi team) its maiden Formula One win. Vettel's record was broken by Max Verstappen aged 18 years and 228 days at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix. Massa scored one point more than Hamilton, narrowing the McLaren driver's lead in the Championship once more with four races remaining. However, Kovalainen's second-placed finish put McLaren closer to catching Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship.
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