Verstappen Shocks at Monza: Victory Exceeding Expectations and RB Advances

Max Verstappen’s performance at the Italian Grand Prix exceeded expectations, marking a “step forward” in the behavior of his single-seater. Verstappen achieved his third victory in Monza, the first since 2019 at the Italian circuit. The Red Bull driver temporarily lost the lead on lap 2 to Lando Norris of McLaren, but regained the position on lap 4, maintaining an unattainable pace for his competitors and finishing with a 19-second advantage. The Italian Grand Prix, known for being the fastest race in Formula 1, also saw Verstappen set a new lap record in Saturday’s qualifying.

A little better than expected.

Max Verstappen

Verstappen explained that, after regaining the lead, he focused on maintaining his pace, although he admitted certain difficulties in the last laps with the medium tires. The driver highlighted an improvement in the car’s behavior over the weekend, which was reflected in the race. He attributed the widening of the gap in the race to McLaren’s strategy, which bet on a safety car.

Before the race, Verstappen was 70 points behind Norris, with only two victories this year. The Red Bull team has also undergone significant changes, with the departure of Christian Horner and the arrival of Laurent Mekies. Verstappen pointed out that the team has made a significant step forward with the car. The champion emphasized that the team is not yet “back”, recognizing that performance depends on the characteristics of each circuit. Verstappen’s victory has reduced the points difference to 63 compared to Norris, with eight races remaining to finish the season. Formula 1 moves to Baku, Azerbaijan, in two weeks.