2025 F1 Round 16, Italian Grand Prix Race: Verstappen Dominates to Beat McLaren to Victory

The Italian Grand Prix, Round 16 of the 2025 F1 season, took place at Monza on the evening of September 7, China Standard Time (UTC+8). Starting from pole, Verstappen ultimately claimed his third victory of the season. Yuki Tsunoda, who started ninth, finished outside the points in 13th after his car sustained damage.

Verstappen completed 53 laps of the 5,793-metre Monza circuit in 1 hour, 13 minutes and 24.325 seconds. His average speed of 250.706 km/h set a new record for the fastest race completion in F1 history, eclipsing the mark of 1 hour, 14 minutes and 19.838 seconds, at an average speed of 247.585 km/h, established at the same circuit in 2003 by Schumacher, who was then driving for Ferrari.

Norris, who started second, briefly led the race. At the end of the start straight, he put the wheels on one side of his car onto the grass as he charged into Turn 1. Verstappen cut the corner to retain the position, then handed it back on lap 2. But Verstappen overtook him again at Turn 1 on lap 4, and Norris was unable to close the gap thereafter, finishing second, 19.207 seconds behind. Piastri took third to secure a two-three finish for McLaren.

McLaren extended their opening tyre stint in the hope of a safety car, but it never came. With eight laps remaining, the team went against the usual order by calling in Piastri, the lower-placed of their two drivers, first to guard against an undercut by Leclerc. They assured Norris that they “would not let Piastri undercut him”—but when Norris followed him in on the next lap, a delay fitting the left-front wheel left him stationary for 5.9 seconds, allowing Piastri to move ahead of his teammate. Although Piastri complained that “slow pit stops are part of racing too,” the situation did not escalate, and he ultimately handed second place back to Norris before taking the flag in third.

Tsunoda held his position at the start but dropped to tenth when Antonelli passed him on lap 18. Two laps later, he became the first of the top-ten runners to pit, switching to hard tyres. After rejoining, however, he was passed by Bearman, who had changed tyres three laps earlier—effectively completing an undercut on him.

He then came under intense pressure from Lawson behind. The pair fought fiercely at Turn 4 midway through the race, making contact three times in succession. Attacking around the outside, Lawson touched wheels with Tsunoda, and both cut the corner. Lawson briefly moved ahead before giving the position back. It was during this battle that the right-hand side of Tsunoda’s floor was damaged, after which his pace deteriorated and he was passed by a succession of cars behind. At the moment of contact, he erupted over the radio: “What is this guy doing!” Even after the race, he remained frustrated by the loss of pace caused by the damage.

Roared on by the tifosi, Leclerc passed Piastri at the start, only for Piastri to reclaim the position on lap 6. Leclerc then kept Russell behind to finish fourth, while Hamilton was sixth. Albon climbed seven places from 14th on the grid to finish seventh. On lap 45, Antonelli forced him off the track and onto the grass, but Albon then pulled off a fine move around the outside at the second chicane to pass him back. Antonelli received a five-second penalty for forcing Albon off and ended his home race in ninth. Although Bortoleto lost one position, he still brought home points in eighth.

Like Gasly, Hadjar—who had qualified only 16th—changed his power unit, including fitting a fifth internal combustion engine, before the race and started from the pit lane. Nevertheless, he claimed the final points-paying position in tenth.

Hülkenberg’s weekend ended in disappointment: he returned directly to the pits after the formation lap and retired without starting. Team principal Wheatley said a detailed investigation was still needed and explained that there had been a hydraulic system failure.

Alonso was locked in a fierce battle with Bortoleto. The pair pitted at the same time on lap 21 and swapped positions in the pit lane. But on lap 25, Alonso’s suspension broke at the Ascari chicane, and he limped back to the pits to retire.

Ocon received a five-second penalty for forcing Stroll off the track on lap 2. Stroll finished last in 18th, with Ocon 15th. Sainz and Bearman made contact at Turn 4 on lap 41 while battling for points. Attacking around the outside, Sainz collided with Bearman on corner entry, sending both into spins and briefly bringing out yellow flags. Both were able to continue, with Sainz finishing 11th and Bearman 12th; the latter received a ten-second penalty.