Max Verstappen ended his race drought at the 2025 Italian GP, breaking records as he crossed the finish line.
However, his return to the top step of the podium wasn’t all that grabbed the headlines.
Verstappen commands in record-breaking Monza
Verstappen returned to winning ways at Monza with a dominant drive from pole position.
The Dutchman set a new record for the fastest Formula 1 race ever, completed in just 1 hour and 13 minutes at an average speed of more than 250 km/h.
It was his first victory since May and his third of the 2025 season.
Behind him, McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes had no answer. Verstappen’s winning margin of nearly 20 seconds showed just how comfortable his race was.
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McLaren’s team orders stir debate
The bigger story, however, was not Verstappen’s dominance but McLaren’s handling of their drivers. The team once again found itself in the middle of a storm over its so-called ‘Papaya rules.’
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both had strong pace, but a slow pit stop for Norris changed the order.
McLaren had given Norris the unusual choice of whether to pit before or after Piastri, and he chose to stop later.
Piastri’s stop was clean, but Norris was stationary for 5.9s with a front-left tyre issue.
That delay allowed Piastri to move ahead, but McLaren quickly stepped in, telling Piastri to give the place back.
The Australian questioned the call on the radio, pointing out that a slow pit stop is normally “just part of racing.” Still, he moved aside without a fight, allowing Norris through to second place.
The decision sparked debate across the paddock.
Piastri is leading the Drivers’ Championship. The pit stop error was not his fault. The usual rule of giving the car ahead pit priority had already been ignored. And there was no clear evidence Norris, and not Piastri, was the one to chase Verstappen.
Even Verstappen questioned the fairness afterwards, while McLaren stuck to their stance. Team principal Andrea Stella defended the decision, saying it was about fairfness, consistency and sticking to their principles.
Ferrari show speed but fall short
At their home race, Ferrari once again showed flashes of pace but couldn’t take the fight to Red Bull or McLaren.
Charles Leclerc crossed the line in fourth, some way behind the podium places, while Lewis Hamilton, in his first Monza race in Ferrari colours, finished sixth after starting tenth due to a penalty.
The Tifosi had hoped Ferrari could at least split the McLarens, but that never looked likely despite decent pace.
Still, fourth for Leclerc and sixth for Hamilton kept Ferrari comfortably second in the Constructors’ standings.
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Isack Hadjar’s strong recovery
One of the standout performances of the race came from Isack Hadjar.
Starting from the pit lane after a full power unit change penalty, the French rookie had a mountain to climb. But he carved his way through the field to take the final point in tenth place.
It was an assured drive that impressed many in the paddock. Hadjar showed patience when needed but wasn’t afraid to attack, pulling off several clean overtakes on his way into the top ten.
For a driver still finding his feet in F1, it was another sign of his growing maturity.
What it means for the championship
After Monza, Oscar Piastri still leads the Drivers’ championship on 324 points. Lando Norris is closing in on 293, while Verstappen’s win brings him to 230.
In the Constructors’ championship, McLaren remain in control with 617 points thanks to their consistent double podiums.
Ferrari are solid in second with 280, but Mercedes are closing in with 260, while Red Bull have 239 points.
The next race on the F1 calendar is the Azerbaijan GP. Who will impress in round 17 along the streets of Baku?
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Adam Peaker 
Newsjustnews writers 
Carmela Calling