The Italian Grand PrixTM at Monza delivered everything we love about Formula 1TM: speed, strategy, heartbreak, and a touch of controversy. While Max Verstappen stormed to yet another dominant win for Red Bull, the real intrigue was watching Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton wring every ounce of performance out of Ferraris that simply couldn’t keep pace with the Red Bulls and McLarens.
Verstappen Untouchable, McLaren Play the Team Game
From the moment the lights went out, Verstappen was in a league of his own. He blitzed away from pole and never looked back, eventually finishing a staggering 19 seconds clear of Lando Norris. Behind him, McLaren pulled one of the more controversial moves of the season: Oscar Piastri, running ahead of Norris, was told to move aside so his teammate could grab second.
The decision keeps Norris hot on Piastri’s tail in the championship fight, but you can bet Piastri will remember being forced to play the loyal teammate at Monza of all places.
Leclerc: Ferrari’s Lone Gladiator
Monza is Ferrari’s backyard, their home Grand PrixTM, and Charles Leclerc knew the tifosi were desperate for something to cheer. He delivered in spades in 2024 with an absolutely magical win, but this year after a magnificent effort only just delivered …and short of a podium place. Pushing his scarlet car to the absolute edge, Leclerc dragged it home in fourth place, behind the podium-lockout of Verstappen and the two McLarens.
Afterwards, he admitted he “couldn’t do more”, a raw, honest verdict that summed up Ferrari’s plight. On pure pace, they weren’t in the same race as Red Bull or McLaren, but Leclerc’s relentless commitment made sure Ferrari didn’t disappear from the story.
Hamilton’s Comeback Drive
Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, showed exactly why he’s still one of the sport’s fiercest fighters. Slapped with a five-place grid penalty, he started on the back foot but clawed his way to sixth, slicing through the midfield with trademark precision.
It wasn’t glamorous, but it was gritty, the kind of drive that reminds you why Hamilton has seven world titles. His Ferrari may lack the grunt of the frontrunners, but his racecraft remains pure box office.
The Bigger Picture
So where does this leave us? Verstappen reminded everyone that, when everything clicks, he’s still benchmark in F1TM. Having said that, that win was just his first since May, ending a lengthy four-month drought. Nowadays McLaren look like the only team capable of challenging Red Bull consistently though their driver politics are starting to bubble.
And Ferrari? They may not have had the fastest car at Monza, but with Leclerc’s defiance and Hamilton’s grit, they gave the home fans something to believe in. Maybe not a win, but definitely a fight and a chance for a Vice Championship behind McLaren in the Constructors race where they are just ahead of Mercedes.
Final thought
Monza crowned Verstappen the king again, but the heart of this Grand Prix was watching two scarlet-clad warriors, Leclerc and Hamilton, refuse to roll over. In the Temple of Speed, pride still matters, even when the stopwatch says otherwise.
