Formula 1: Max Verstappen wins Italian GP as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri battle behind

Max Verstappen powered to victory at the Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio d’Italia, overcoming early tussles with Lando Norris to claim another commanding win for Red Bull.

The Dutchman started from pole and briefly lost the lead after being instructed to yield to Norris following a tight opening-lap fight. But Verstappen regained control on Lap 4 and never looked back, eventually crossing the line 19 seconds clear of the field.

McLaren teammates Norris and Oscar Piastri staged a fierce battle of their own. A slow 5.9-second pit stop for Norris dropped him behind Piastri, but the team later ordered the Australian to let his teammate through on Lap 49. Norris reclaimed second place, trimming three points from Piastri’s lead in the Drivers’ Championship.

Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer weighed in on the incident. “It’s harsh on Lando because he’s been the lead McLaren pretty much all weekend. That’s an organic situation in a race. Now they’ve orchestrated the switchback and it’s quite fair, but racing’s not fair sometimes,” he said on F1TV.

Charles Leclerc took fourth for Ferrari, followed by George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. The race was otherwise clean but not without incidents. Fernando Alonso retired on Lap 26 with suspension failure, while Nico Hülkenberg never made the start due to a technical issue.

Further back, Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll picked up penalties for forcing rivals off track, while Ollie Bearman and Carlos Sainz clashed in a scrappy midfield battle.

Verstappen’s relentless pace, capped by multiple fastest laps, underlined Red Bull’s dominance. His ability to recover after ceding the lead early on reflected his composure and race craft.

David Coulthard praised Verstappen’s decisive move on Norris: “I was holding my breath. I could see that all going wrong there. Absolutely brilliant pass around the outside. Well avoided from Lando Norris.”

The victory extends Verstappen’s run at Monza and strengthens his campaign for another world title, while McLaren’s internal rivalry ensures the championship battle remains alive heading into the next round.