Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing has dethroned the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri as he wins the F1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Italy, on the night of September 7.
Opening Lap Drama Between Verstappen and Norris
The action began immediately under the bright Italian sun. As the lights went out, Norris launched a strong challenge on Verstappen, who squeezed the McLaren onto the grass heading into the first chicane.
The pair briefly went wheel-to-wheel before the Dutchman skipped the corner to hold the lead.
“What’s this idiot doing?” Norris complained over the radio. “He put me in the grass and cut the corner.”
To avoid a possible penalty, Verstappen relinquished first place at the start of Lap 2, allowing Norris through. Yet the defending champion wasted no time regaining the upper hand, pulling off a clean overtake on Lap 4 and stretching clear.
Behind them, Piastri lost ground to Leclerc before fighting back with an outside pass at Lesmo 1. Their duel continued through the opening laps, drawing loud reactions from the passionate Tifosi.
Meanwhile, further back, penalties and clashes were already shaping the midfield. Esteban Ocon was handed a five-second sanction for forcing Lance Stroll wide, while Lewis Hamilton, starting tenth after a grid penalty, began carving through the pack, reaching sixth within the opening ten laps.
Verstappen in Control as Pit Stops Shake the Order
Once back in front, Verstappen showcased the relentless pace of the RB21, setting fastest laps and building a five-second gap over Norris by Lap 18.
His smooth rhythm highlighted why Monza’s high-speed layout has so often suited Red Bull’s strengths.
Midfield strategies soon came into play. Ollie Bearman triggered pit lane activity on Lap 19, leading to a chain reaction of stops. Among the most notable moments was a brief battle between Gabriel Bortoleto and his mentor, Fernando Alonso, as they exited side by side. Alonso’s afternoon, however, ended in frustration when a suspected suspension failure forced him to retire after clattering the kerbs at Ascari.
“This is unbelievable,” the two-time champion lamented.
Russell was the first of the front-runners to stop, releasing Hamilton and the Williams pair of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz. Albon, starting on hard tyres, executed a clever strategy to climb into the top 10, ultimately finishing seventh and securing valuable points for Williams.
McLaren’s Team Orders and Pit Stop Twist
While Verstappen’s lead looked untouchable, McLaren’s internal battle provided the race’s main intrigue.
As pit strategies unfolded, both Norris and Piastri stretched their stints in hopes of a late charge on soft tyres.
When the stops finally came on Laps 45 and 46, fortune favoured Piastri. A slick change for the Australian allowed him to leapfrog Norris, whose slower stop cost precious seconds. Suddenly, McLaren’s order was reversed, with Piastri ahead in second place.
The team intervened quickly. Citing precedent from the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix, where Norris had yielded a place back to Piastri, McLaren instructed the Australian to swap positions. Piastri questioned the call but ultimately complied, letting Norris through before the final laps.
This orderly exchange locked in the podium: Verstappen comfortably in first, Norris second, and Piastri third. The outcome trimmed Piastri’s championship lead over his teammate to 31 points.
Ferrari Fade as Mercedes and Midfield Shine
The Tifosi had hoped for a miracle, but Ferrari lacked the pace to contend for the podium. Leclerc ran a lonely race, eventually crossing the line fourth after questioning the timing of his stop.
“If we are not under threat, why did we stop now?” he asked over the radio, though he made good use of fresher tyres to secure his position.
Mercedes delivered solid results, with George Russell finishing fifth and Hamilton recovering to sixth. Kimi Antonelli, after serving a penalty for erratic driving, still claimed points in ninth, splitting Bortoleto and rookie Isack Hadjar.
Hadjar, starting from the pit lane after an engine penalty, impressed with a charge to tenth and his first points finish in Formula 1. Just outside the top 10, Sainz and Bearman collided in a late skirmish, denying Williams and Haas additional rewards.
Further down, Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson endured a frustrating afternoon for Racing Bulls, while Alpine’s quiet showing left Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto 16th and 17th. Stroll dropped to the back after running in the points, and Alonso’s retirement capped a difficult day for Aston Martin.
Nico Hulkenberg, meanwhile, never even started the race after hydraulic issues forced his Sauber into the pits before lights out.
“It was a great day for us”
– Max Verstappen
Crossing the line after 53 laps, Verstappen marked his third triumph of the year and the 60th of his Formula 1 career. Despite early drama, he described the day as a masterclass in control.
“It was a great day for us,” the 27-year-old from the Netherlands said to the media.
“Of course, Lap 1 was a bit unlucky, but after that we were flying, and that was for me really enjoyable. We managed the pace quite well throughout that first stint, and I think we pitted at the right time, and with the hard tyres at the end, you can push a bit more – they’re a bit more resilient. Fantastic execution by everyone from the whole team. I think the whole weekend we were on it and it’s super enjoyable to win here.”
Up Next: Baku, Azerbaijan Grand Prix
With victory at Monza secured, Red Bull tightened its grip on the constructors’ fight, while the McLaren teammates continued their duel at the top of the drivers’ standings.
The championship now moves to Baku, Azerbaijan, on September 21.
