Max Verstappen’s Italian Grand Prix win at Monza showcased a commanding performance that quelled doubts about Red Bull Racing’s pace this season. On September 3, 2025, Verstappen secured his 66th career victory, marking his third win of the year and the first under new team principal Laurent Mekies, signaling a turning point for the team at the historic circuit.
The race unfolded at the famed temple of speed, where Verstappen had encountered difficulties the previous season, qualifying seventh and finishing sixth. This time, however, he dominated the weekend by grabbing pole position and delivering a flawless race. Mekies, who took over leadership from Christian Horner earlier in 2025, regarded the result as a crucial breakthrough for the squad.
Verstappen’s Race Execution Dominates Monza
From the moment the lights went out, Verstappen demonstrated control and strategic acumen. Although he briefly relinquished the lead to Lando Norris to avoid a penalty after cutting the chicane, Verstappen retook the front spot on lap four with a confident outside pass at the first corner. After clearing traffic, he steadily pulled away and maintained control throughout.
During the race, Verstappen posted consecutive fastest lap times, showcasing the car’s strong pace. A perfectly timed pit stop on lap 37 briefly dropped him to third place, but he wasted no time overtaking both McLaren drivers, Norris and Oscar Piastri, to retake the lead decisively within ten laps. This triumph hinged on an unconventional technical gamble: running the Red Bull RB21 lower to the ground than previously attempted, which risked upsetting the car’s balance. Verstappen advocated strongly for this setup, and the risk ultimately paid off handsomely.
“Max did just a perfection, perfect weekend. Such a strong weekend, it put us there. We were not anticipating to have a pace advantage in the race, but it turned out to be the case. We were expecting a defence race and trying to work out scenarios on how to defend against these guys. Ultimately, we had a pace advantage today,” Mekies said post-race (via F1)
The setup adjustment was a bold change that came after fine-tuning in free practice sessions. Mekies explained how Verstappen’s feedback was critical to keeping the lower wing level despite balance challenges.
“Obviously, the wing is working well. On top of that, it is fair to say that on Saturday we have tried to step down with Max at the very end of FP3. And whilst it looked a lot more difficult to get the balance right with that lower level, Max has been very strong and good at pushing us to keep it on the car and to find other solutions to give him the balance back,” Mekies explained.
The Dutchman crossed the finish line with a staggering margin of 19.2 seconds, the largest gap recorded so far this season. Additionally, he set the fastest lap in Formula 1 history during the race, underscoring the exceptional nature of the weekend for Red Bull.
Leadership Changes and Technical Innovation at Red Bull
Laurent Mekies reflected on how the victory was a culmination of collective effort from the team based in Milton Keynes. Taking charge amid uncertainty and after a controversial driver change early in the season, Mekies emphasized the resilience and ongoing work behind the scenes that made the sudden pace surge possible.
“In this sort of moment you think to the team back in Milton Keynes, the tough start of the season. When things are not working the way you would like them to work, when you are missing that ultimate pace, you question everything. That’s the way we are, that’s the way the competition is. You question everything and what is great in the team is that they kept an open mind… very much giving them back the credit of many weeks, many months of hard work in the dark,” Mekies said (via Motorsport Week)
A significant role has been played by technical director Pierre Wache, whose developments helped narrow the pace deficit to nearest rivals like McLaren. Verstappen’s consistent gap of three to four tenths of a second over Norris and Piastri during the race highlighted clear strides forward in Red Bull’s competitiveness.
Despite Verstappen’s momentum, the Constructors’ standings still see Red Bull trailing Ferrari and Mercedes after 13 rounds, with only two previous wins this season. On an individual level, Verstappen carries the team’s hopes almost single-handedly—he has accumulated 230 of Red Bull’s 239 points, with teammate Yuki Tsunoda contributing just nine, demonstrating the immense reliance on Verstappen’s performances.
Implications for Red Bull’s Championship Charge
Following this dominant display at Monza, Verstappen sits 94 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri and 63 behind Lando Norris in the Drivers’ standings, a gap that reminds the team of the challenges ahead. Nevertheless, the confident pace and strategy shown at the Italian Grand Prix inject fresh optimism into Red Bull’s campaign.
Looking forward, the Formula 1 calendar moves to Baku, a circuit where Verstappen triumphed in 2022. Carrying the momentum from Monza, Red Bull hopes this victory marks the start of a sustained resurgence, as they seek to close the gap and challenge the frontrunners in the remaining races of the season.
