A Ferrari fan arrives at Monza ahead of the Italian Grand Prix. One of the most evocative and important tracks in the sport, it is a highlight of the Formula One season.
A Ferrari fan arrives at Monza ahead of the Italian Grand Prix. One of the most evocative and important tracks in the sport, it is a highlight of the Formula One season.
Charles Coates/Getty Images
Grid girls -- a permanent feature of every F1 grand prix -- file down to the drivers' parade prior to the start of the race.
Grid girls -- a permanent feature of every F1 grand prix -- file down to the drivers' parade prior to the start of the race.
Mark Thompson/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
A fly past over Monza spills out smoke in the colors of the Italian flag as the pre-race festivities continued.
A fly past over Monza spills out smoke in the colors of the Italian flag as the pre-race festivities continued.
Bryn Lennon/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Drivers stand to attention on the grid as the Italian national anthem is played before the action on the track gets under way.
Drivers stand to attention on the grid as the Italian national anthem is played before the action on the track gets under way.
Dan Istitene/Getty Images
The car of Russian Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat returns to the garage for a tune-up before the racing begins in earnest.
The car of Russian Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat returns to the garage for a tune-up before the racing begins in earnest.
Mark Thompson/Getty Images
Championship leader Lewis Hamilton, from the United Kingdom, established an early lead in his Mercedes after starting on pole position, knowing a win would take him another step closer to regaining his drivers' title.
Championship leader Lewis Hamilton, from the United Kingdom, established an early lead in his Mercedes after starting on pole position, knowing a win would take him another step closer to regaining his drivers' title.
ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images
Carlos Sainz's Toro Rosso zips down one of the straights, splintered by sunlight through the trees.
Carlos Sainz's Toro Rosso zips down one of the straights, splintered by sunlight through the trees.
Peter Fox/Getty Images
Hamilton sprays the crowd with champagne after securing his seventh victory of the season that extended his lead in the drivers' championship to 53 points.
Hamilton sprays the crowd with champagne after securing his seventh victory of the season that extended his lead in the drivers' championship to 53 points.
Mark Thompson/Getty Images
With seven races of the season remaining, Hamilton looks set to retain his crown and secure the third title of his career.
With seven races of the season remaining, Hamilton looks set to retain his crown and secure the third title of his career.
Dan Istitene/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Sebastian Vettel delighted the vociferous home crowd by finishing second in his Ferrari while Felipe Massa, a former Ferrari driver, came third.
Sebastian Vettel delighted the vociferous home crowd by finishing second in his Ferrari while Felipe Massa, a former Ferrari driver, came third.
Charles Coates/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Italian Grand Prix in pictures

Story highlights

Lewis Hamilton wins Italian Grand Prix at Monza

Opens up 53-point gap in title race

Nico Rosberg retires with two laps to go

Result stood after stewards' investigation

CNN  — 

Lewis Hamilton won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza Sunday to open up a commanding lead in the Formula One title race, but had to survive a stewards’ investigation before the result was confirmed.

The Mercedes maestro finished over 25 seconds clear of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, with Felipe Massa completing the podium for Williams.

Hamilton’s teammate Nico Rosberg, his nearest challenger in the championship battle, was forced to retire when his engine blew with two laps to go as he challenged Vettel for second place.

It has left Hamilton with a 53-point advantage with seven rounds of the 19-race championship remaining and well set to retain his title and win a third world crown.

Defending champion Hamilton had controlled the race from the start but in the closing stages was mysteriously told to speed up by his team.

After taking the checkered flag and the podium celebrations led by Star Wars film director George Lucas, it emerged that race officials were scrutinizing the tire pressures ran by the Mercedes team.

New guidelines had been put in place by tire manufacturers Pirelli after the Belgian Grand Prix where a number of punctures led to safety concerns.

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Related video Sebastian Vettel: 'I'm here to win'

Hamilton’s rear left tire was apparently 0.3 PSI under inflated, but after a lengthy wait his victory was confirmed.

“The stewards are satisfied that the team followed the currently specified procedure supervised by the tire manufacturer for the safe operation of the tires,” said a statement.

The Briton had controlled the race from the start after claiming his seventh straight pole and making a clean getaway to power clear of his rivals.

By contrast, Vettel’s teammate Kimi Raikkonen stalled from second on the grid, while Rosberg slipped back to sixth spot before fighting his way back through the field.

Hamilton, using a new and improved engine, was able to lap consistently quicker than Vettel to claim his seventh win in 12 races ahead of the 13th round of the season in Singapore in a fortnight.

It was a peerless display by Hamilton, who was quizzed about his new blonde hairstyle by Lucas.

“Do blondes have more fun?” Lucas asked Hamilton “I hope so,” he replied.

Read: Hamilton on pole from Ferrari duo

In the end, following an anxious wait, Hamilton could indeed afford to smile as he celebrated his 40th career F1 win in his 50th start for Mercedes.

Behind the podium finishers, Valtteri Bottas came home fourth in the second Williams ahead of the misfortunate Raikkonen and Sergio Perez of Force India.

Nico Hulkenberg was seventh in the second Force India ahead of Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull, Swede Marcus Ericsson of Sauber and Russian Daniil Kvyat in the second Red Bull, who rounded out the points scoring.