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• Pierre Gasly scored a shock win at the Italian Grand Prix.
• The AlphaTauri driver became the first French GP winner in 24 years.
• It is the 24-year-old's first win and second podium finish in 55 starts.
Formula 1 breathed a sigh of relief in Italy on Sunday as the sport saw a team other than Ferrari, Mercedes or Red Bull win a grand prix for the first time since 2013. Frenchman Pierre Gasly made history in the Alpha Tauri at Monza.
The world's top tier of motorsport is facing mounting criticism of being boring and one-sided. Mercedes has won the last six world titles, and the poor performance of the sport's biggest team, Ferrari, has affected the value of the racing.
It was almost a case of something has got to give. On Sunday, 6 September, it did. Gasly, the 24-year-old French AlphaTauri driver shocked the sport with his first victory. Gasly finished ahead of Carlos Sainz of McLaren, and Racing Point's Lance Stroll.
The Frenchman took full advantage of a penalty handed to six-time champion Lewis Hamilton for not adhering to the stewards' flags after Ferrari's Charles Leclerc suffered a big crash at the Parabolica.
Hamilton's team mate Valtteri Bottas also struggled in the race while Red Bull's Max Verstappen suffered mechanical problems as his afternoon ended early.
The Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel headed into the team's home race under a huge cloud after their poor performance in Belgium last weekend.
The misery continued for Mattia Binotto and his team as the Leclerc's crash and brake failure on Vettel's car left the team in an even more precarious position.
But it was Gasly who grabbed the headlines on Sunday, his win follows a 'driver of the day' performance at Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian GP.
Gasly was demoted by parent team Red Bull 13 months ago and replaced by Alex Albon who has struggled alongside teammate Verstappen in the Honda-powered car.
"I think I'm ready, but it's not up to me to make that call. The only thing I've done since they moved me back to Toro Rosso has been just to focus on myself and just show what I can do," Gasly told reporters.
Listen to Canal Sport F1 commentator as his fellow countryman completes the final lap of the race to claim the first GP win in 24 years for a French driver.
Wheels24's editor Janine Van der Post says: "I don't speak a word of French, but you don't even need to know what the F1 commentator Julien Febreau is saying to understand what a huge moment Pierre Gasly's win means to all the people of France.
"It's an emotion that is easily understood in any language. What a blooming-good drive from Gasly, and so well-deserved after his rough couple of years in the sport."
