Max Verstappen delivered a masterclass at the Italian Grand Prix, ending his winless streak since May and reclaiming his place atop the podium with stunning authority.
The Red Bull driver dominated the iconic Monza circuit, leading from the front and ultimately taking the chequered flag by nearly 20 seconds over McLaren’s Lando Norris. This victory marks Verstappen’s third of the season and his first since his May triumph at Imola.
Verstappen’s weekend was punctuated by brilliance in qualifying. He secured pole position with a blistering lap—the fastest-ever around Monza—clocking in at an astonishing 1 minute 18.792 seconds with an average speed exceeding 264 kph. “Yes guys! That’s unbelievable. A really good job. It worked out. It’s all good,” he exclaimed over team radio as he celebrated his 45th career pole, the fifth of the season and his first since Silverstone.
From the start of the 53-lap contest, Verstappen faced early pressure from Norris, who briefly seized the lead before the Dutchman staged a gritty re-pass. By lap 4, Verstappen had retaken control, diving past Norris into Turn 1 to establish command of the race. From that point on, he managed his pace with seasoned precision, crossing the finish line 19.207 seconds ahead of Norris.
“This was unbelievable. What an unbelievable weekend. We can be really proud of that,” Verstappen said over the radio after the race, his tone brimming with satisfaction. On his team’s official site, he added: “Fantastic execution by the whole team,” celebrating a flawless and dominant run that earned him a triumphant ovation from Monza’s fervent tifosi.
While Verstappen’s performance emerged as the story of the day, the battle behind him involved its own drama. McLaren’s Lando Norris, starting close behind, had a chance to challenge but struggled with a slow pit stop, losing nearly 6 seconds.
Oscar Piastri, meanwhile, gained a fleeting advantage until McLaren, honoring prior agreements, instructed him to let Norris back through. Piastri, reluctantly, obeyed and settled for third place.
“I felt like I was there for quite a long time,” Norris reflected. “Every now and then we make mistakes as a team and this was one of them.” Piastri defended his decision: “We were staying out for safety cars if we got any… A little incident at the end but it’s okay.” The reshuffle tightened the championship standings, narrowing Piastri’s lead over Norris to 31 points with eight races remaining.
Home pride was restored somewhat by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who delivered a solid fourth-place finish amid the enthusiastic support of the red-clad crowd. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton staged an impressive climb from tenth to sixth, overcoming a grid penalty to deliver a spirited performance in his first Monza outing with Ferrari. George Russell also turned heads with a consistent drive that placed him fifth for Mercedes.
This win not only marks Verstappen’s 66th career victory but also represents a symbolic resurgence. It’s his first triumph since his home win in Imola, ending a nine-race drought. His performance underlines Red Bull’s capacity to rise to the occasion, especially on power circuits like Monza, at a time when McLaren has held significant momentum this season.
Moreover, on a day when Formula 1 crowned its fastest race ever—Verstappen’s pace combined with Norris’s blistering final-lap speed set new benchmarks in F1 history—this Monza weekend will be remembered for its exceptional velocity.