F1 | Race | Italian GP | Verstappen delivers Monza masterclass as McLaren deliver controversial team orders

Round 16 of the 2025 F1 season is in the books as the Italian GP race is completed, view the full report and results here. Max Verstappen started on pole ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Spread the love

Round 16 of the 2025 F1 season is in the books as the Italian GP race is completed, view the full report and results here. Max Verstappen started on pole ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly started from pit lane after power unit changes following qualifying.

The top 13 cars started on mediums, as did Franco Colapinto. Alex Albon was the first car on hards, with Ocon, Stroll, Hadjar and Gasly also on them. Liam Lawson was the only driver on softs.

Nico Hülkenberg out before the start

At the end of the formation lap, Nico Hülkenberg was told to pit to retire the car. A hydraulic issue was spotted.

Norris gets the dream start

Lando Norris made a better start, getting alongside Max Verstappen into turn 1. The Dutchman cut the corner and was told to give the place back. He did so at the start of lap 2.

Charles Leclerc got Oscar Piastri at the start, but the Australian made a stunning move around the outside into Lesmo 1 to take 3rd place back. However, the massive speed advantage Ferrari had on the straights allowed Leclerc to get the place back once again into the first chicane.

Kimi Antonelli had a horrendous launch, losing 4 positions and dropping to 10th. Hamilton also cleared Tsunoda.

Verstappen strikes back as Piastri overtakes Leclerc

On lap 4, Max Verstappen got DRS on Lando Norris and used the massive straight-line speed advantage to clear him into turn 1.

2 laps later Oscar Piastri eventually got P3 back as Charles Leclerc was massively struggling in the corners. On a positive note for Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton was P6 on lap 7 as he overtook Gabriel Bortoleto and Fernando Alonso.

Running in P14, Esteban Ocon was handed a 5-second penalty for forcing Lance Stroll off the track at the second chicane.

After a solid start on softs, Liam Lawson came in at the end of lap 9 to switch to hards.

As Yuki Tsunoda started to struggle on tyres, Kimi Antonelli overtook the Japanese into turn 1 on lap 18 for P9. Ollie Bearman was next up but Haas boxed him for hards. The Red Bull driver responded. While he came out ahead, Bearman breezed by heading into the chicane.

Alonso jumps Bortoleto

In the fight for a net P7, Fernando Alonso got ahead of Gabriel Bortoleto in the pit cycle. Aston Martin had a faster stop. The Spanish driver also attacked the pit entry harder. Although the Brazilian came out behind Lawson, he quickly overtook the New Zealander.

Day done for Alonso

On lap 25, Fernando Alonso’s suspension broke. As he got quite high on the exit kerb at Ascari, it gave up.

At Williams, Alex Albon overtook Carlos Sainz for P8. The Spaniard was also placed under investigation for failing to follow race directors notes after missing the second chicane. He got a reprimand for it.

At the second chicane in a separate incident, Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson had an awkward tangle. With the Kiwi gaining the spot off track, he had to give the place black.

In a key moment in the Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli overcut Gabriel Bortoleto and rejoined ahead of the Brazilian on lap 28.

Max Verstappen pits from the lead

With Lando Norris gently catching Max Verstappen, Red Bull boxed the Dutchman at the end of lap 37 for hard tyres. Pretty strong pace from Leclerc and Russell on their hards meant it was a easy call for the race leading team. McLaren continued on to take 1-2, hoping for a Safety Car.

Carlos Sainz and Ollie Bearman collide

In the fight for P13, Carlos Sainz got a run on Ollie Bearman down to the second chicane and they tangled. The Brit was not happy as he felt the Spanish driver turned in on him. Both spun and continued. Hadjar overtook both.

After a mammoth stint on hards, Alex Albon rejoined in P10. He made light work of Kimi Antonelli despite the Italian putting him on the grass out of the first chicane. The Italian was handed a 5-second penalty for it.

The McLarens finally pit off the medium tyres but Norris has a shocking stop

Piastri pitted first as they covered Charles Leclerc on lap 45. However, Lando Norris had a painfully 5.9s stop because of a left front issue. It allowed the Australian to jump the Brit for 2nd place.

McLaren asked Piastri to allow Norris through with 4 laps to go after what happened. He complied.

Max Verstappen completes Italian sweep

As he crossed the line to win the Italian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen won by almost 20s from Lando Norris. Oscar Piastri completed the podium. Leclerc, Russell, Hamilton Albon, Bortoleto, Antonelli and Hadjar from the pits completed the top 10.

F1 Italian GP full race classification and results

  1. Verstappen
  2. Norris
  3. Piastri
  4. Leclerc
  5. Russell
  6. Hamilton
  7. Albon
  8. Bortoleto
  9. Antonelli
  10. Hadjar
  11. Sainz
  12. Bearman
  13. Tsunoda
  14. Lawson
  15. Ocon
  16. Gasly
  17. Colapinto
  18. Stroll
  19. Alonso
  20. Hülkenberg (DNS)