Max Verstappen secured first position at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza on Sunday, ending a four-month winless streak and slowing McLaren's recent dominance. The reigning world champion, who started from pole position after setting the fastest lap in F1 history during qualifying, held off a strong challenge from Lando Norris and championship leader Oscar Piastri to claim his third win of the season.
Despite the victory, Verstappen's chances of winning a fifth consecutive drivers' title remain slim. He still trails Oscar Piastri by a significant 94 points in the championship standings. Piastri, who finished in third place, maintains a comfortable 31-point lead over his teammate Lando Norris, who crossed the finish line in second. The top five finishers; Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Charles Leclerc, and George Russell, all finished in the same order as they started on the grid.
Verstappen's win caps a historic weekend for the 27-year-old, who hadn't stood on the top step of the podium since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May. He expressed his excitement after the race, stating, "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."
The race proved to be a difficult one for the Ferrari team. Charles Leclerc finished in fourth place, failing to secure a podium spot for the passionate home crowd at Monza. His teammate Lewis Hamilton had a solid performance, working his way up to sixth after starting from 10th due to a five-place grid penalty. However, the seven-time champion was unable to pass his former Mercedes teammate George Russell, resulting in an underwhelming finish in his first Italian GP with Ferrari.
The race also saw several incidents and DNFs. Nico Hulkenberg retired early due to a technical issue, and Fernando Alonso's race ended with a suspension failure. There were also collisions involving Esteban Ocon, who was handed a five-second penalty for forcing Lance Stroll off the track, and Oliver Bearman, who received a ten-second penalty for colliding with Carlos Sainz.
