MONZA, Italy (AFP) - Lewis Hamilton celebrated his 50th race for Mercedes with a flawless win in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sunday to stretch his lead in the Formula One drivers championship.

The world champion's supremacy was total as he comfortably fended off home favourite Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari by almost half a minute.

Hamilton's team-mate and closest title challenger Nico Rosberg was set for third only for his race to end with his engine in flames with two laps left.

Brazilian Felipe Massa benefitted as he took third in a Williams.

The pole-sitter's Monza march was helped when Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari stalled on the front row, dropping the Finn to the back of the field going into the first chicane.

Hamilton's seventh win in 12 races this season extended his lead from 28 to 53 points over Rosberg ahead of Singapore in a fortnight.