ITALIAN GP: RED BULL'S RETURN IN STYLE

On a Sunday that gave Italy plenty to cheer about – from Ducati’s continued dominance in MotoGP, to the volleyball women’s team clinching a stunning world title, to Jannik Sinner reaching the US Open final – the sour note came right at Monza, Ferrari’s home track. After the celebrations in Milan and the bold promises that had fueled tifosi expectations, the race brought everyone back down to earth: plenty of smoke, very little fire.

The signs were already there: only a miracle could have put Charles Leclerc, or even Lewis Hamilton, on the podium. Red Bull and McLaren were simply operating on another level. And indeed, despite a brave opening duel with Oscar Piastri, Leclerc gradually lost touch. Credit, however, to his ability to fend off George Russell’s Mercedes and secure fourth place – the same result he managed in Budapest. A solid race, cautious but clean. Hamilton, starting from tenth, patiently built his way up to sixth; he looked capable of threatening Russell, but the SF25 didn’t have more to give. A small consolation for Maranello came in the standings: 20 points collected against Mercedes’ 12, stretching Ferrari’s lead to 20 points (280 to 260) in the Constructors’ battle.

The ruler of Monza, once again, was Max Verstappen. His Red Bull-Honda delivered a level of dominance even his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase admitted he hadn’t expected. Perfect setup, minimal tire wear, blistering pace: after a short skirmish with Lando Norris, the Dutchman checked out and never looked back, building a gap that ballooned to 19 seconds at the finish. For Verstappen, it was his third win of the season, the 66th of his career, further solidifying third place in the championship and slightly narrowing the gap to Norris. Meanwhile, Red Bull trimmed its deficit to Mercedes in the Constructors’ standings to just 21 points.

McLaren, by contrast, struggled with Monza’s characteristics, which exposed the weaknesses of the MCL38. Norris couldn’t keep up with Verstappen, while Piastri’s shaky opening laps left him trailing his teammate. The team’s gamble of delaying the pit stop as long as possible wasn’t rewarded—no safety car to shake things up. To make matters worse, a slow tire change dropped Norris behind Piastri. Team principal Andrea Stella had to intervene, instructing the Australian to give the place back. Piastri obliged with admirable sportsmanship, though the gesture didn’t alter the bigger picture: Norris only gained three points on the championship leader.

It was another subdued outing for Mercedes: Russell finished fifth, rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli ninth. The young Italian did score points, but his race was riddled with mistakes—botched start, off at the Roggia, and a five-second penalty for a rough move on Alex Albon that cost him eighth. Albon, on the other hand, impressed again: seventh in the Williams, following up on his fifth place at Zandvoort. Carlos Sainz’s day ended without points, as contact with Oliver Bearman pushed him down to eleventh.

Among the surprises was Gabriel Bortoleto, who brought his Sauber-Ferrari home in eighth after a strong qualifying and steady race. A special mention also goes to Isack Hadjar: starting from the pit lane, he clawed his way to tenth with the Racing Bulls-Honda. On the flip side, another dismal afternoon for Aston Martin—Fernando Alonso damaged his suspension after hitting the curb at Ascari, while Lance Stroll never came close to the points.

Monza made one thing clear: Ferrari has a good car, but not a great one. Not enough to fight at the very top. While Verstappen keeps writing his own story and McLaren shows unity and selflessness, Maranello is once again left to confront the harsh reality.

© Cavalieri Garage & Co.