The 2025 Italian Grand Prix delivered all the drama expected from Monza before the lights even went out. On the formation lap, Kick Sauber instructed Nico Hülkenberg to return to the garage and retire before the race had officially begun, leaving 19 cars to line up on the grid for the 16th round of the Formula 1 season.
At the start, pole-sitter Max Verstappen held onto his lead, but only by cutting the opening chicane to fend off a charging Lando Norris. Behind them, Charles Leclerc briefly snatched third from Oscar Piastri before the Australian regained the position. By the end of the opening lap, Verstappen was instructed to hand the lead back to Norris, putting the McLaren at the front of the field.
The early laps saw Norris and Verstappen pull away together, while Leclerc consolidated third. Soon after, Verstappen reclaimed the lead from Norris as the pair traded places at the front. Meanwhile, Piastri worked his way past Leclerc to move into third, while Lewis Hamilton climbed to seventh after overtaking Fernando Alonso.
The stewards were kept busy as Esteban Ocon received a five-second penalty for forcing Lance Stroll off track. Retirement struck on lap 25 when Alonso’s Aston Martin suffered a rear suspension failure. Later, on lap 41, Carlos Sainz and rookie Oliver Bearman tangled, both spinning but managing to continue without major damage.
Pit stop drama unfolded on lap 47 when Norris lost crucial time with a slow 5.9-second service, allowing Piastri to briefly take the upper hand. McLaren, however, swiftly instructed the Australian to return the place, reinstating Norris ahead.
After 53 laps of high-speed action at the Temple of Speed, Verstappen crossed the line to secure a hard-fought victory for Red Bull. McLaren celebrated a double podium with Norris in second and Piastri in third, while Leclerc delivered valuable points for Ferrari in fourth. Mercedes claimed solid results with George Russell in fifth. Hamilton secured sixth place for the Scuderia, as Alex Albon impressed again with seventh for Williams. Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto scored points in eighth, followed by Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar completing the top ten.
2025 Italian Grand Prix – Race Results
1) Max Verstappen
2) Lando Norris
3) Oscar Piastri
4) Charles Leclerc
5) George Russell
6) Lewis Hamilton
7) Alex Albon
8) Gabriel Bortoleto
9) Kimi Antonelli
10) Isack Hadjar
11) Carlos Sainz
12) Oliver Bearman
13) Yuki Tsunoda
14) Liam Lawson
15) Esteban Ocon
16) Pierre Gasly
17) Franco Colapinto
18) Lance Stroll
DNF – Fernando Alonso
DNS – Nico Hülkenberg
The race was not without controversy, particularly McLaren’s late-race team orders asking Piastri to yield to Norris. Verstappen’s radio comments on the decision also sparked debate among fans.
What did you make of the 2025 Italian Grand Prix? And how do you view McLaren’s team strategy in the closing stages? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
📺 Watch the 2025 Italian GP race highlights here.
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