Old Max Verstappen returned: Crustant Victoria in the Italy GP

The Dutch had no rivals in Monza, not even the powerful McLaren, and took the third victory of the season. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri went to the podium.

Max Verstappen put on the clothes of the old Max Verstappen for a weekend. That dominant of 2023, who had no rivals, who overwhelmed in each circuit, appeared for a little while in his complicated 2025. The RB21, this year’s model, fell very short to give the Dutch the chance to fight for his fifth crown in a row. Far, very, from the performance of the McLaren, everything achieved so far in the 16 races that are disputed was thanks to their inexhaustible talent. In the GP of Italy he once again gave a total demonstration, with an overwhelming triumph: he beat Lando Norris, the second.

The race lasted a dagger of turns, just four. In the start, Max tried to placate Lando’s attack and closed the door. The Woking team pilot ended up touching the land of the right bench and arrived at the heart of the Dutch to the Chicana. The Red Bull cut off the variant and stayed first. They quickly asked him to let Norris pass to avoid a sanction. Obedient, Max did. In the fourth return he accelerated the Honda engine of his Red Bull and returned to the tip. End of the race.

Only the exciting battle was between Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri, which was also quickly defined in favor of the Australian. From that moment on, the race was a soporífera. No fight at the tip, with very similar strategies, with tires that endured without problems … It was as boring as Monaco, but with the difference that they traveled much faster.

Boredom does not overshadow the great walk of Verstappen. It was overwhelming since Saturday, when he achieved the pole position. “It was a great day for us. We were flying and I really enjoyed the car; I could control the rhythm quite well during the first stage. We stopped in boxes at the right time and with hard tires at the end, I could tighten a little more because they are more resistant. A fantastic execution by all and the entire team. I think we were fulfilling all weekend and it is a great satisfaction to win here, “said Max, who this year was pleased to win in the two races that were played in Italy (he had won in Icola, in the GP of Emilia-Romagna).

Will Monza have been the exception to the rule or Red Bull will have found something to be a competitive here at the end of the year? “We will try to achieve more victories, no doubt. We will go step by step and race to race, but for us this was an incredible weekend,” Max closed.

His illusion of being a champion only finds support in which the numbers still give him: he is 94 piastri points. The reality is that Monza looks much more like an atypical performance in a complicated season than to a chance to put a final sprint to pure success. But, at least for a while, the old Verstappen returned.