Red Bull star wins by 19s as McLaren uses team orders to restore Norris ahead of Piastri

Max Verstappen powered to a commanding victory at Monza to win the Italian Grand Prix, setting the record for the fastest-ever Formula 1 race as he finished almost 20 seconds clear of Lando Norris.

The Dutchman’s performance was vintage dominance, recovering the lead early from Norris and steadily pulling away to secure another milestone victory for Red Bull. The McLaren drivers flanked him on the podium after a late team orders controversy handed Norris second place back from Oscar Piastri.

The drama began at the start. Norris attacked polesitter Verstappen into Turn 1, forcing the Red Bull man onto the inside line. Verstappen cut the chicane and was instructed to yield, allowing Norris to take control briefly at the start of lap two.

But the reprieve lasted only moments. Verstappen tucked back into DRS range and blasted past at the first chicane on lap four. From there, the reigning champion steadily built a cushion, stringing together metronomic laps to pull six seconds clear before the pit stops.

Red Bull executed their strategy with characteristic precision, pitting Verstappen on lap 37 for hard tyres. McLaren, by contrast, gambled by keeping both drivers out longer in the hope of benefiting from a late safety car.

When Norris finally pitted on lap 46, he suffered a slow stop after allowing Piastri to pit first. That left the Australian ahead on track, but McLaren intervened. Instructing Piastri to let Norris back through — a decision likened on team radio to the “Budapest situation” of 2024 — the team sought to restore order. Piastri hesitated but ultimately complied.

The shuffle secured Norris’ second and left Piastri third, denying him what would have been his first runner-up finish at Monza. Verstappen, meanwhile, was free to extend his lead, cruising home 19.2 seconds ahead in one of his most emphatic wins of the season.

Behind the podium places, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc salvaged fourth after an early tussle with Piastri. The pair traded moves in the opening laps before Leclerc eventually settled behind the McLarens.

George Russell finished fifth, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who recovered to sixth despite starting with a five-place grid penalty for a yellow-flag infringement at Zandvoort the previous week.

Alex Albon delivered another solid drive for Williams to take seventh, while rookie Gabriel Bortoleto inherited eighth after Andrea Kimi Antonelli was penalised five seconds for erratic driving. Isack Hadjar claimed ninth, with Carlos Sainz rounding out the points in tenth after a tangle with Ferrari junior Ollie Bearman at Turn 4.

The result further solidifies Verstappen’s dominance in 2025, while McLaren was left to manage an awkward intra-team scenario. Norris, despite benefitting from team intervention, admitted relief to secure the runner-up spot: “The pace was there, but Max was on another level today. I’ll take second for the team.”

For Verstappen, though, the focus was all on another record-breaking triumph. “It was an incredible car today,” he said. “We managed everything perfectly. Monza is always special, and to win here again like this is fantastic.”