Only 17 cars lined up on the grid for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, with Max Verstappen on pole position ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly started from the pit lane after changing engines overnight, while Nico Hulkenberg had to retire his Sauber after the formation lap.

When the lights went out, Verstappen made a good start but Norris got alongside him straight away. The Red Bull squeezed the McLaren onto the grass, but Norris kept control of his car and fought back into the first chicane. Verstappen stayed ahead but had cut the corner, and Red Bull quickly told him to give the place back.

At the end of the opening lap Norris led the race, but only for a short while. On lap 4 Verstappen overtook him again with a clean move into Turn 2 and began to pull away.

Behind them Charles Leclerc passed Piastri for third, though the Australian complained on the radio that the Ferrari had moved under braking. Piastri then took third place for himself a few laps later again.

George Russell followed in fifth, with Lewis Hamilton close behind in sixth. Further back Gabriel Bortoleto, Fernando Alonso, Yuki Tsunoda and Kimi Antonelli were all in the points places and part of a long DRS train that stretched down the order to Stroll in fifteenth. Esteban Ocon was given a five-second penalty for forcing Stroll off the track.

By lap 15 Verstappen was four seconds ahead of Norris, who was six seconds clear of Piastri. Antonelli moved past Tsunoda for ninth place, while Carlos Sainz went off at the chicane and was noted by the stewards for rejoining the track incorrectly.

The pit stops began on lap 20 when Tsunoda came in, rejoining ahead of Oliver Bearman but quickly losing the position. Bortoleto and Alonso stopped soon after, but Alonso’s race ended on lap 26 when his Aston Martin suffered a suspension failure. “Suspension failure, this is so unbelievable,” said the Spaniard as he parked the car.

Russell made his stop on lap 28, falling back to twelfth, while Hamilton pitted a lap later. Both McLarens stayed out longer on their opening stints, while Ferrari brought in Leclerc on lap 34. He came out behind Alex Albon and was not happy with the timing of the stop.

Verstappen pitted on lap 38 for hard tyres, briefly giving up the lead to the two McLarens before rejoining in third. He quickly began setting fastest laps as Norris and Piastri stayed out in front. Hamilton also stopped around this time, rejoining behind Russell.

In the midfield there was plenty of contact: Sainz and Bearman spun after colliding as they fought for thirteenth, with Bearman handed a ten-second penalty, while Antonelli and Albon touched wheels and the Mercedes driver was given a five-second penalty for erratic driving after giving the place back.

McLaren’s strategy became complicated on lap 46 when Piastri stopped for soft tyres and rejoined ahead of Norris, whose own pit stop was delayed by a slow front-left change. Verstappen took back the lead while McLaren had to manage their own drivers.

The team to everyone surprise told Piastri to let Norris past and that after the pair would be free to race, and although the Australian questioned the decision at first he eventually moved over. Norris then pulled clear of his team-mate, but neither could close the gap to Verstappen, who controlled the final laps.

The Dutchman crossed the line for his third win of the season, finishing 19 seconds ahead of Norris and 21 seconds ahead of Piastri. Leclerc was fourth for Ferrari, with Russell and Hamilton fifth and sixth. Albon scored well for Williams in seventh, followed by Bortoleto in eighth. Antonelli finished ninth despite his penalty, while Hadjar completed the points in tenth after starting from the pit lane.

2025 Italian Grand Prix results: