Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz of Spain, left, throws his hat as he celebrates on the podium his third place at the Formula One Italian Grand Prix auto race, at the Monza racetrack, in Monza, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Carlos Sainz Jr., who finished third in the race behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez of Red Bull, did recover his watch chasing after the thieves with the help of bystanders.
Carlos Sainz Jr. of Ferrari became a victim of a robbery right after the Italian GP, losing his £500,000 watch near the Armani Hotel in Milan. Sainz, who finished third in the race behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez of Red Bull, did recover his watch chasing after the thieves with the help of bystanders.
Sainz chased after the two suspects, who were later apprehended by police, to recover his watch. This is not the first instance of a Fomral 1 racer being robbed of their personal belongings. In 2021, Lando Norris’ £144,000 Richard Mille watch was stolen during the Euro final between England and Italy. Norris though never got his watch back.
Max Verstappen Wins Italian GP For Record 10th Straight F1 Victory
Earlier in the day, Verstappen who had started second in the Ialina GP, behind Sainz raced to his 10th successive Grand Prix win at Monza, and in the process increased his huge championship lead to 145 points.
Verstappen has won 12 of the 14 races for unbeaten Red Bull and matched Sebastian Vettel’s F1 record of nine straight victories last weekend at the Dutch GP. He is closing in on his own F1 record of 15 wins set last year and onto 47 overall.
Pérez has the other two victories this season and Red Bull has also won 24 of the past 25 races, including last year.
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Ferrari was hopeful of its first win at the Temple of Speed since 2019 and Sainz, who turned 29 on Friday, got off to a great start as he held off Verstappen into the first corner — much to the delight of the thousands of passionate red-clad tifosi.
Sainz managed to defend several attempts by Verstappen to get past in a tense fight between the two. That didn’t last long, however, as Sainz locked his brakes going into the first chicane on lap 15 and that allowed Verstappen to get past him on the exit and pull away.
Sainz was left to fend off Perez for second place but lost that battle too with four laps remaining and was then forced to fight hard again to keep Leclerc behind for the final podium place.
(With AP inputs)
