Verstappen Wins Italian Grand Prix Amidst McLaren Team Orders
Max Verstappen secured his third Grand Prix victory of the season at the Italian Grand Prix, expertly converting his pole position into a commanding win after 53 laps. The race, however, was punctuated by a controversial team order issued by McLaren late in the event.
The opening laps saw a spirited challenge from Lando Norris, briefly overtaking Verstappen off the line, though the Red Bull driver reclaimed the lead by lap four at Turn 1 after being initially asked to yield the position. Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc engaged in a close battle for third, with Piastri ultimately securing the position on lap six.
As the race progressed, verstappen extended his lead, pitting from the lead on lap 34 to switch from medium to hard tyres, temporarily handing the lead back to Norris. Pit stop strategy also played a key role further down the order, with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) among the first to stop, followed by Leclerc (Ferrari) on lap 34.
A slow pit stop for Norris, caused by a wheel gun issue on lap 36, saw him briefly drop behind Piastri. McLaren then controversially instructed the drivers to swap positions, reinstating norris to second place, a decision that maintained the original running order to the chequered flag.
Verstappen crossed the finish line first, followed by Norris and Piastri, completing a 1-2 finish for McLaren. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished fourth, with Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) in sixth, sandwiched by George russell (Mercedes) in fifth.
Further back, Alex Albon finished a strong eighth. Kimi Antonelli initially crossed the line in eighth, but a five-second time penalty demoted him, gifting the position to Enzo Bortoleto. isack Hadjar rounded out the points-paying positions in tenth,having started the race from the pit lane.
The victory marks Verstappen’s third win of the season, while the McLaren team order sparked debate about the balance between team strategy and fair competition.
