Formula 1 News: Verstappen’s Monza win was one for the record books
Max Verstappen etched his name into Formula 1 history at the Italian Grand Prix, clinching the Chimera trophy (pictured)—crafted by Italian artist Nico Vascellari for Pirelli and Pirelli HangarBicocca.
The four-time world champion’s third win of 2025, following triumphs in Suzuka and Imola, marked his third Monza victory (2022, 2023) and Red Bull Racing’s fifth at the circuit. The Dutchman’s 66th career win propelled Red Bull to 125 total victories.
This race shattered records as the fastest Formula 1 Grand Prix ever, with Verstappen’s average speed of 250.706 km/h surpassing Michael Schumacher’s 2003 Monza benchmark of 247.586 km/h.
Remarkably, the second- through seventh-place finishers also beat Schumacher’s winning time. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri joined Verstappen on the podium, repeating their 2024 feat, with Norris setting a new outright lap speed record of 257.781 km/h (1:20.901) on lap 53.
Verstappen summarizes his dominant win
“It’s been a fantastic weekend, and to win again has been incredible; it’s been a while! It is really rewarding to see the steps we are making in understanding the car. We brought an upgrade here which really worked and took a step forward with the set-up of the car.
“In general, the car goes better in low to medium downforce tracks and we just need to keep pushing and keep trying to improve, as we have been. After the overtake of Lando, it was about getting on with my own race, hitting targets, and looking after the tires.
“Pitting and going on to the Hard tire was the best thing possible, and we just tried to extend the gap as much as we could to the McLarens.
“This weekend has been incredible and is a super important weekend during a year like this. It shows there are still chances to win, which is really nice.
“Everyone has fully committed to improving the car all weekend, and it was a fantastic result for everyone here and a big victory for the team and for new team boss Laurent Mekies.”
Race Dynamics
Most drivers started on medium tires, except Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, Isack Hadjar, and Alex Albon, who chose hards, and Liam Lawson, who opted for softs. Late in the race, Norris, Piastri, Stroll, Gasly, and Ocon switched to the soft C5 compound after extended opening stints. Ocon ran the longest stint with 51 laps on hards, while Norris stretched mediums to 46 laps and Lawson managed 9 on softs.
The race ignited with fierce overtakes in the opening laps before settling into a strategic battle. Unlike 2024, graining was negligible on Monza’s smooth surface, and tire degradation was minimal, allowing drivers to extend stints based on track position. Some, like Ocon, gambled on a late Safety Car, pushing tires to or beyond wear limits without significant performance loss. Minor front-axle blistering occurred but didn’t notably impact performance.
Pirelli’s Milestone Celebration
Pirelli’s Executive Vice President Marco Tronchetti Provera celebrated the company’s legacy at Monza, marking their 500th Grand Prix as Formula 1’s sole tire supplier since 1950, when Nino Farina won the inaugural championship race on Pirelli’s Stella Bianca tire. “Formula 1 is an open-air laboratory for testing new technical solutions and advancing our tire research and manufacturing,” Provera said, thanking Pirelli’s team for their dedication.
Pirelli’s Motorsport Director Mario Isola noted the race’s early excitement and strategic depth. “Drivers extended stints far beyond predictions, with near-zero degradation,” he said.
“Some pushed tires to the wear limit, but performance held. The tires may have been too good—we’ll analyze data to refine next year’s compounds.” Pirelli will return to Monza within 48 hours for 2026 tire testing with Red Bull, Aston Martin, Williams, and Racing Bulls.
Verstappen’s masterful drive and Pirelli’s tire performance made this Monza Grand Prix a landmark event, blending speed, strategy, and celebration.
