Verstappen wins F1 Italian Grand Prix
Max Verstappen delivered a vintage drive to win the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, halting McLaren’s dominance in the 2025 Formula One season.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen reminded the F1 paddock of his class with a flawless lights-to-flag victory at the Temple of Speed, securing only his third win of 2025.
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The Dutchman, who started on pole after setting the fastest lap in Formula One history during qualifying, held off both McLaren drivers to claim a famous victory. Verstappen finished ahead of Lando Norris in second and Oscar Piastri in third, with the top five drivers finishing exactly where they had started on the grid.
While the result doesn’t radically change the championship picture, it gave Verstappen a chance to celebrate at a track where he has now won twice in 2025, adding Monza to his earlier triumph in Emilia Romagna.
Piastri still leads the Championship
Despite missing out on victory, Oscar Piastri still leads the drivers’ standings on 322 points. His teammate Norris remains in close pursuit, just 31 points behind.
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Verstappen, though victorious in Italy, still trails Piastri by 94 points and admits his hopes of a fifth consecutive world championship are slim unless Red Bull can find extra pace in the final stretch of the season. McLaren, meanwhile, have underlined their dominance, winning 12 of the 16 races so far in 2025.
Ferrari disappoints on home soil
The famous Tifosi packed into Monza were left frustrated as Charles Leclerc could only manage fourth place, narrowly missing the podium for Ferrari on home soil.
His new teammate, Lewis Hamilton, produced a determined fightback after a five-place grid penalty dropped him from fifth to tenth on the starting grid. The seven-time world champion carved through the field in the opening laps, eventually finishing sixth behind George Russell.
Hamilton’s performance showcased flashes of brilliance, but Ferrari once again fell short of delivering a car capable of challenging Red Bull and McLaren at the front.
Race Highlights
- Pole & Record: Verstappen’s Saturday qualifying lap set the fastest speed ever recorded in F1 history.
- McLaren Consistency: Both Norris and Piastri maintained their title fight momentum with podium finishes.
- Ferrari Heartbreak: No podium for the Scuderia at their home race despite strong fan support.
- Mercedes’ Shadow: Russell impressed again, while Hamilton continues to adjust in his debut Ferrari season.
Formula One now moves towards the late-season run, with McLaren in control of both championships but Verstappen showing that Red Bull is still capable of delivering race-winning performances.
For Ferrari, the pressure builds; the Italian team hasn’t claimed victory at Monza since Leclerc’s emotional win in 2019, and patience among the Tifosi is wearing thin. The battle at the front may be McLaren’s to lose, but Verstappen’s victory ensures the season still has sparks of unpredictability.
SportsLigue