F1 Italian Grand Prix – Monza 2025

Verstappen Dominates at Monza

Max Verstappen converted pole into victory at the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix after a commanding drive at Monza. The Red Bull star briefly duelled with Lando Norris in the opening stages but quickly pulled away to secure his third win of the 2025 season. Norris came home second after McLaren enforced team orders, with Oscar Piastri taking the final podium spot in third.

McLaren Team Orders Raise Eyebrows

A slow pit stop for Norris flipped the order between the McLaren drivers, with Piastri briefly moving ahead. Piastri benefitted from a lightning-fast 1.9s stop, while Norris lost significant time after a wheel gun issue delayed his service to nearly six seconds. McLaren instructed Piastri to let Norris reclaim second place, referencing a similar scenario in Hungary last year when Norris had returned a position.

Piastri Plays the Team Game

Oscar Piastri ultimately complied with the team’s instruction but was heard expressing his frustration over the radio. “We said a slow pit stop was part of racing,” Piastri told his engineer Tom Stallard. “I don’t really get what changed here. But if you really want to do it, then I’ll do it.”

Afterwards, Piastri denied he was shocked by the order, explaining that the team had discussed different scenarios ahead of time. “No, not really,” the Australian said. “We have had discussions about all kinds of situations… I’m sure we’ll review it and discuss more, but it wasn’t unexpected.”

When pressed to expand on his radio comments, the nine-time grand prix winner brushed it off. “I think the radio call kind of says enough,” Piastri remarked, refusing to elaborate further.

Verstappen Reacts Over the Radio

From the lead, Verstappen was informed by race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase about McLaren’s decision. “Ha! Just because he had a slow stop?” the Dutchman chuckled over the radio, before Lambiase reminded him to stay focused. Unbothered, Verstappen drove on to the chequered flag and sealed another decisive victory.

Leclerc Misses Out, Mercedes Score Double Points

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc couldn’t replicate his Monza triumph from 2024, finishing a lonely fourth in front of the Tifosi. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton secured fifth and sixth for Mercedes, ensuring both Silver Arrows scored solid points.

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Pos	Driver	Team	Time/Gap
1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	–
2	Lando Norris	McLaren	+19.207s
3	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+21.351s
4	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+25.624s
5	George Russell	Mercedes	+32.881s
6	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	+37.449s
7	Alexander Albon	Williams	+50.537s
8	Gabriel Bortoleto	Stake	+58.484s
9	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	+59.762s
10	Isack Hadjar	Racing Bulls	+63.891s
11	Carlos Sainz	Williams	+64.469s
12	Oliver Bearman	Haas	+79.288s
13	Yuki Tsunoda	Red Bull	+80.701s
14	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	+82.351s
15	Esteban Ocon	Haas	+1 Lap
16	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	+1 Lap
17	Franco Colapinto	Alpine	+1 Lap
18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+1 Lap
19	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	DNF
20	Nico Hulkenberg	Stake	DNF

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Tsunoda vs Lawson: Clash at Turn 4

Yuki Tsunoda criticised Liam Lawson after the pair made contact through Turn 4. Lawson, who started on softs and had already switched to hards, ran side-by-side with Tsunoda before both went wide. Lawson briefly passed but returned the position later.

Tsunoda Questions Lawson’s Tactics

Tsunoda argued that Lawson’s defence was unnecessary given their differing strategies. “I was fighting for points, and he wasn’t,” Tsunoda said. “If it’s for points, I understand. But otherwise, what’s the point?”

The Japanese driver also had a scrappy first lap, skipping Turn 1 after nearly colliding with Lewis Hamilton. “I’m happy with my decision – I avoided contact. He divebombed into me,” Tsunoda explained.

Drivers & Team Championship Standings after the Italian/ Monza Grandprix 2025

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