Max Verstappen delivered a commanding performance to secure victory at the Italian Grand Prix, but the race was overshadowed by a contentious team decision from McLaren that altered the final podium positions.
The Red Bull driver controlled the event from the front, ultimately finishing ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. However, the battle for second place became the weekend’s central drama after a problematic pit stop for Norris.
Norris appeared set to finish second until his pit stop was delayed by a wheel issue that cost him over five seconds. This allowed teammate Piastri to emerge ahead, but McLaren quickly intervened, instructing Piastri to surrender the position back to Norris in the closing laps.
The team defended its decision as necessary to maintain fairness, arguing that the positions should not be determined by pit stop issues rather than on-track performance. Team principal Andrea Stella emphasized the importance of consistency with the team’s principles, stating they wanted to return to the situation that existed before the pit stops.
Piastri accepted the instruction despite expressing some confusion, noting that slow pit stops are typically considered part of normal racing circumstances. The Australian driver now leads Norris by 31 points in the championship standings.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished fourth, while Lewis Hamilton impressed in his first Monza appearance for the Italian team, climbing from tenth to sixth position. George Russell completed the top five for Mercedes.
The incident raises questions about how McLaren will manage its championship-contending drivers as the season progresses, particularly if the title battle narrows to a handful of points.
