#F1: @Max33Verstappen cruises to dominant #ItalianGP victory.

Verstappen Italian GP Victory – Reigning world champion Max Verstappen lead a faultless drive from start-to-finish to clinch his 66^th-career victory at the Italian GP ahead of McLaren pairing Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri who rounded out the top three runners.

 

 

This was Verstappen’s first victory since the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix back in May and his third of the season as Norris brought the championship lead gap down to team-mate Piastri to 31 points.

 

In the Constructor’s Championship, McLaren could secure their second consecutive title if they outscore Ferrari by 46 points.

 

Before the race started, Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg was told to retire the car due to a hydraulics issue.

 

When the 53-lap Italian GP began, pole-sitter Verstappen got a solid getaway into turn one as behind him Piastri had an excellent slip-stream from the Dutchman.

 

Norris went on the grass and somehow remained in control. Verstappen then went across the run-off area; he had to give the place back. Piastri lost grip and lost out to Leclerc, but he grabbed the place back around the outside into turn 6.

 

Verstappen was told to give the place back to Norris and does so on the main straight on the beginning of the second tour as Leclerc overtook Piastri for third – those two were fighting it out beautifully here – and that one isn’t finished yet.

 

Antonelli lost places at the start, he was in tenth as Hamilton was up to eighth.

 

With DRS and a great slipstream down the main-straight, Verstappen made a move around the outside and dived past Norris into the Variante Dell Rettifilo to retake the lead as the latter suffered a lock-up.

 

Further back, Hamilton picked off Alonso for seventh. Bortoleto next up for the Ferrari driver.

 

At the beginning of the fifth lap, Verstappen’s lead over Norris was at 1.1 seconds with Leclerc holding third, Piastri fourth, Russell fifth as Bortoleto rounded out the top six.

 

On lap six, Piastri snatched third back off Leclerc with a slip-stream and DRS down the main-straight and making the move around the outside like Verstappen done so into the Variante Dell Rettifilo Chicane to take the place.

 

On the seventh tour, the situation was Verstappen leading the race having had to cede P1 at the end of the opening lap. Norris was second but more than a second behind the Dutchman so did not have DRS here at this stage.

 

Piastri was third and trying to catch back up to the front two, with Leclerc still within DRS range behind the championship leader.

 

Further back, Hamilton passed Bortoleto for sixth into his favoured Variante Dell Rettifilo Chicane.

 

On the eighth lap, Verstappen lead was now 2.2 seconds over Norris.

 

Haas’s Esteban Ocon and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll were under investigation at this stage, for forcing another driver off the track.

 

On lap 10, Verstappen’s lead increased to 3 seconds over Norris with Piastri third, Leclerc fourth as Russell was right on the tail of the Ferrari in fifth and Hamilton completed the top six in the other SF-25 entry.

 

Ocon was given a five-grid placed penalty for squeezing Stroll off the track at the Variante Della Roggia Chicane.

 

Lap 12 – Verstappen was leading the Italian GP by 3.5 seconds, so the Dutchman was pretty much out of undercut range already. Norris was 4.9 seconds ahead of his McLaren team-mate Piastri. Leclerc was a further 2.2 seconds back, whilst Russell was hanging on to the SF-25 entry.

 

On the 13^th tour – Verstappen was flying in clean air – posting the fastest lap and toured three tenths faster than Norris last time around to extend his lead to nearly four seconds.

 

Lap 14 saw the lone Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto in seventh holding up a train of cars, including Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso behind, Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda and Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli. That DRS train goes all the way to Stroll down in 15^th.

 

On the 15^th tour – Verstappen remained in the lead as the gap reached 4.2 seconds the gap. Piastri could not stick with his team-mate Norris, with the championship leader 5.6 seconds back. The trio have a little gap to the Ferrari sandwich behind, Leclerc leading Russell and Hamilton.

 

Lap 17 – Verstappen was flying to post another fastest lap with the RB21 looking solid as the gap was up to 4.3 seconds to the good over Norris.

 

Lap 18 saw Antonelli finally pick off Tsunoda for ninth and Sainz suffered a lock up, ran wide and not returned to the track correcting.

 

On lap 19, Haas’s Oliver Bearman pitted from 11^th to break out of the Bortoleto DRS train to try an undercut and emerged at the rear. The Briton put on a fresh set of the hards.

 

Lap 20, Red Bull reacted with Tsunoda, and the Japanese driver also stopped for the hards and came out just ahead of the Haas.

 

As they ran towards the Variante Della Roggia Chicane, Bearman jumped the Red Bull to move up into 18^th.

 

On the 21^st tour – both Bortoleto and Alonso came in for a fresh set of the hards – the latter managed to jump his protégé in the pits after the Sauber suffered a slow stop to take 15^th and Bortoleto dropped into 16^th behind Lawson as he exited the pit-lane onto the main-straight.

 

Lap 22 – thanks to Bortoleto and Alonso pitting, Antonelli was up into seventh place. Hamilton remained two seconds behind Russell, as his charge stalled at this stage. Leclerc had totally lost touch with Piastri ahead in third, who likewise was six seconds behind team-mate Norris.

 

Lap 23 – Despite being out of undercut range, Verstappen was on a charge. But how much longer could these C4 these mediums last? He was over six seconds clear of Norris now out front and lapping two tenths faster per tour.

 

On the 25^th tour – the situation was all front runners all have fresh air and thus, were not working their tyres as hard as those in the DRS train.

 

Alonso was seen travelling slowly after suffering a suspension failure with replays showing the suspension breaking after running over the rumble strips at the exit of the Variante Ascari.

 

The Spaniard grumbled: “Suspension failure, this is so unbelievable,” and was the second retiree of the race as he parked it in the garage.

 

On lap 27 – neither Williams driver has pitted, Alexander Albon in eighth and Sainz in ninth. But Sainz could be in trouble – he was currently being investigated for failing to return to the track correctly a little time ago.

 

The 29^th tour saw fifth-placed Russell pit for his fresh set of hards to try and undercut Leclerc in fourth and with a 2.9 second stop – the Mercedes driver emerged in 12^th place behind Hadjar.

 

A lap later, Antonelli pitted from sixth for his fresh set of the C3 harder rubber and emerged in 14^th place ahead of Bortoleto as Sainz was given a reprimand.

 

Replays showed severe blistering on race leader Verstappen’s medium tyres as the Dutchman on lap 30 held a 5.8 second lead over Norris with Piastri third, Leclerc fourth and Hamilton completed the top five with all of them yet-to-pit for their fresh set of the harder compounds.

 

On lap 31, Norris had attempted to close up a bit, bringing Verstappen’s gap to just under six seconds. But the Dutchman was pushing on and trying to regain that time lost. Sainz stopped from seventh for his fresh set of the white side-walled C3’s and came out in 16^th place behind Bearman.

 

Replays on lap 32 saw a lock up into the first chicane, as 12^th-placed Franco Colapinto in his A525 entry ran wide. The Argentine had yet to pit, so that might persuade the Enstone based-outfit to bring him in if he had a flat-spot.

 

A lap later Isack Hadjar pitted from ninth to emerge in 16^th place behind Sainz.

 

On the 34^th lap fourth-placed Leclerc suffered a lock-up just crossing the pit-entry line and stopped for a fresh set of the C3’s and came out in sixth place behind the yet-to-pit Albon.

 

Lap 36 in the battle for seventh place, Russell with DRS assistance breezed his way passed Ocon just before reaching the Variante Dell Rettifilo Chicane.

 

Out-front – Verstappen was still having a faultless race out there at this stage of proceedings. He led by 5.5 seconds from Norris, as the Dutchman chased a third Monza win. Piastri remained in a distant third.

 

On lap 38 – Verstappen relinquished the lead to Norris for his fresh set of the C3’s and with a great 2.3 second stop – emerged in third place behind Piastri.

 

Lap 39 saw fourth-placed Hamilton pit for his fresh set of the harder compound and came out in ninth behind Stroll.

 

In the battle for the final points place – Antonelli put on a brave bold move around the outside of Gasly at La Curva Grande to take the position as on lap 40 the yet-to-pit Norris was 5.255 seconds ahead of team-mate Piastri with Verstappen chasing them down in third, Albon fourth, Leclerc fifth as Russell completed the top six.

 

On the 41^st tour – Sainz and Bearman have a big moment! They both made contact at the Variante Della Roggia, both spin round and little the track with some gravel.

 

The stewards noted the collision between the duo.

 

During that stage, Albon pitted for his set of hards and came out in tenth – Hamilton made his way back into sixth place breezing past both Stroll and Ocon.

 

Sainz and Bearman were down 14th and 15th now. Sainz from behind had the slipstream, got ahead and Bearman tagged the Williams.

 

Lap 46 – McLaren swapped their drivers to take their pit-stops as Piastri bolted on a set of the C5 softer compounds and came out in third behind Verstappen as Bearman was hit with a 10-second penalty for his collision with Sainz.

 

On lap 47 – Norris pitted for his set of the C5’s and suffered a front-left wheel gun issue and a slow-stop – emerging behind team-mate Piastri.

 

Lap 48 – So, the situation was – Verstappen – who had been making great progress today – was back in the lead of the race. Piastri was second and 18 seconds back. Norris was now two seconds adrift on softs, the same as his team-mate. Leclerc was fourth, ahead of Russell and Hamilton.

 

And Albon and Antonelli were under investigation for forcing another driver off the track.

 

On lap 49 – McLaren ordered Piastri to let Norris through by remembering last year’s Hungarian GP. They said they pitted the Briton first, asking Piastri to play the team game and thus fair is fair. Piastri said his piece, that a slow stop was part of racing as he let Norris back up into second.

 

“You are free to race,” Piastri was told after letting Norris ahead.

 

On lap 51 – Stroll pitted leaving just Ocon yet to stop. Stroll’s stop was slow and dropped way down the order. This meant Bortoleto was back in the points.

 

Ocon was the last driver to stop on the penultimate tour for a set of softs and came out in 15^th behind Lawson.

 

On the last lap – Antonelli was given a five-second-time penalty for causing a collision as Verstappen crossed the line to take the Italian GP victory by 19.207 seconds over Norris as Piastri completed the top three.

 

The two Ferrari’s of Leclerc and Hamilton finished at the team’s home Grand Prix in fourth and sixth respectively whilst Russell split the pairing in fifth.

 

Albon was next in seventh and ahead of Bortoleto who came home eighth whilst Antonelli and Hadjar rounded out the top ten runners.

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2025 Italian GP – The Top Three

 

 

2025 Italian GP Winner – Max Verstappen, #1, Oracle Red Bull Racing, Honda-RBPT, RB21 – (25 Points):

“A great day for us. Lap 1 was a bit unlucky but after that we were flying. The car was really enjoyable, I could manage the pace and we pitted at the right time. Just fantastic execution by everyone. Step by step, race by race but this was for us an unbelievable weekend.”

 

2^nd Place – Lando Norris, #4, McLaren Formula 1 Team, Mercedes, MCL39 – +19.207s – (18 Points):

“I tried to keep it even on the braking into Turn 1, I always know it is going to be a good fight with Max, and it was. One of those weekends where we are a bit slower but a good fight and I enjoyed it. No idea [with the pit stop] but I guess every now and then we make mistakes as a team and today was one of them. I did everything I could today, I couldn’t do a lot more. I tried to fight with Max, but he came out on top and deserved it.”

 

3^rd Place – Oscar Piastri, #81, McLaren Formula 1 Team-Mercedes, MCL39 – +21.351s – (15 Points):

“Difficult start, maybe not my best couple of laps. Once I got past, a pretty lonely race from there. Happy with the points, I’ll take it. We were staying out for Safety Cars if there were any, but Max got back into our pit window and the little incident at the end but it is okay. Plenty to learn, happy going forwards and we’ll try and be better next weekend.”

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Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio D’Italia 2025 Race Results Classification (53 Laps)

 

POS.	NO.	DRIVER	TEAM	LAPS	TIME / RETIRED	PTS.
1	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	53	1:13:24.325	25
2	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	53	+19.207s	18
3	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	53	+21.351s	15
4	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	53	+25.624s	12
5	63	George Russell	Mercedes	53	+32.881s	10
6	44	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	53	+37.449s	8
7	23	Alexander Albon	Williams	53	+50.537s	6
8	5	Gabriel Bortoleto	Kick Sauber	53	+58.484s	4
9	12	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	53	+59.762s	2
10	6	Isack Hadjar	Racing Bulls	53	+63.891s	1
11	55	Carlos Sainz	Williams	53	+64.469s
12	87	Oliver Bearman	Haas	53	+79.288s
13	22	Yuki Tsunoda	Red Bull Racing	53	+80.701s
14	30	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	53	+82.351s
15	31	Esteban Ocon	Haas	52	+1 lap
16	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	52	+1 lap
17	43	Franco Colapinto	Alpine	52	+1 lap
18	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	52	+1 lap
NC	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	24	DNF
NC	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Kick Sauber	0	DNF
* Provisional results.

FORMULA 1 PIRELLI GRAN PREMIO D’ITALIA 2025 – RACE RESULT

Click here for the 2025 Formula 1 World Driver’s (Top 10) and Constructor’s Championship Standings

 

Round 17 of the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship returns the Baku City Circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan for the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025 from Friday September 19-Sunday September 21.