Max Verstappen returned to winning ways at Monza, taking victory at the Italian Grand Prix, while McLaren became the center of attention after team orders forced Oscar Piastri to give up second place to teammate Lando Norris.
The flashpoint came late in the race when a slow pit stop dropped Norris behind Piastri. McLaren, however, instructed the Australian to let Norris through, arguing that the Briton had run ahead for most of the race. Despite voicing his frustration, Piastri eventually complied, allowing Norris to reclaim second on lap 49 of 53.
The situation echoed last year’s Hungarian Grand Prix, where Norris had allowed Piastri through under team strategy. This time, however, many felt the circumstances were different, with Norris’s delayed stop the result of a wheel gun issue rather than strategy.
Piastri later admitted he did not agree with the call but accepted it, while Norris described the incident as “a mistake as a team.” The decision trims Piastri’s championship lead over Norris to 31 points with eight races remaining.
Verstappen Back on Top
Starting from pole, Verstappen dominated the race after briefly surrendering the lead to Norris at the first chicane. Red Bull instructed him to give the place back after cutting the corner, but he quickly regained the lead with a clean move and never looked back. The Dutchman crossed the line more than 19 seconds clear, securing his first win since May’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.
Race Highlights
- Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari in front of the home crowd.
- George Russell took fifth for Mercedes, followed by Lewis Hamilton in sixth on his Monza debut with Ferrari.
- Alex Albon impressed again for Williams with seventh place.
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), and Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) completed the top 10.
Fernando Alonso was unlucky once more, forced to retire with suspension failure while running strongly for Aston Martin.
Italian GP Top 10 Results
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 25 pts
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – 18 pts
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 15 pts
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 12 pts
- George Russell (Mercedes) – 10 pts
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 8 pts
- Alex Albon (Williams) – 6 pts
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 4 pts
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 2 pts
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 1 pt
What’s Next
Formula 1 now heads to Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on 19–21 September, as the championship battle intensifies.
Image Source: Google | Image Credit: Respective Owner
