Hamilton's masterly win in Italian GP under tyre scrutiny

Monza

LEWIS Hamilton extended his lead, at least provisionally, in this year's drivers' world championship to 53 points on Sunday when he drove to a flawless and consummate victory in a typically dramatic Italian Grand Prix.

As nearest rival and Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg retired with a blown engine with two laps to go, Hamilton took full advantage on a day when his perfect drive ended amid chaotic scenes and reports that his car had raced with illegal tyre pressures.

Stewards had reported that the left rear tyre on Hamilton's car was 0.3 PSI below the minimum starting pressure specified by Pirelli. A team representative was summoned to the stewards, with fears he could face a penalty that might wipe out his advantage over Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, and possibly more. "I've no idea what that might be," Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff, whose team had ordered Hamilton to push in the closing laps to increas…