The Formula 1 circus has descended upon the hallowed Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, known as the “Temple of Speed,” for the 16th round of the 2025 season, the Italian Grand Prix. All eyes are on Max Verstappen, the four-time reigning World Champion, as he seeks to reignite his championship challenge at one of the sport’s most iconic circuits.
Verstappen, driving for Oracle Red Bull Racing, arrives in Italy on the back of a bittersweet second-place finish at his home race, the Dutch Grand Prix. Despite a strong performance at Zandvoort, where he battled McLaren’s Lando Norris and capitalized on a late reliability issue for the Briton, Verstappen admitted that Red Bull’s limitations were “very obvious.” The Dutchman, who trails championship leader Oscar Piastri by 97 points with 10 races remaining, is under no illusions about the challenge ahead at Monza.
“Monza is a special place, but it’s a tough track for us this year,” Verstappen said during Thursday’s press conference. “The long straights and low-downforce setup don’t play to our strengths, but we’ll fight for every point. You can never count us out.”
The 2025 season has been a rollercoaster for Verstappen. With only two victories to his name—Japan and Emilia-Romagna—his Red Bull RB21 has struggled to match the pace of McLaren’s dominant MCL39. His stunning lap-one overtake on Piastri at Imola earlier this year, where he clinched his 65th career win, remains a highlight, but consistency has been hard to come by.
Monza’s high-speed layout, with cars on full throttle for 80% of the lap and reaching speeds over 200 mph, will test Red Bull’s aerodynamic efficiency. Verstappen’s ability to extract every ounce of performance from his car will be crucial, especially against McLaren’s Piastri and Norris, who are riding high after a commanding 1-2 at Zandvoort. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, racing in front of the passionate Tifosi, are also expected to be in the mix, adding extra pressure on the Dutchman.
Verstappen’s history at Monza is a mixed bag. While he has never won the Italian Grand Prix, his aggressive driving style has made headlines here before, most notably in 2021 when a collision with Lewis Hamilton ended both their races. This year, with Hamilton carrying a five-place grid penalty from an incident at Zandvoort, Verstappen may sense an opportunity to capitalize.
Red Bull’s new team principal, Laurent Mekies, is optimistic about Verstappen’s prospects. “Max is a phenomenal talent, and we’re working hard to give him a car that can compete at tracks like Monza,” Mekies said. “We’ve made progress since Hungary, and we’ll push to maximize our package this weekend.”
Verstappen’s teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, who scored points at Zandvoort for the first time since Imola, will also play a key role in Red Bull’s strategy. A strong team effort could help Verstappen close the gap to McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship, where Red Bull trails significantly.
As the weekend unfolds, with practice sessions kicking off on Friday, September 5, and the race set for Sunday at 3:00 PM local time, Verstappen’s legion of fans will be hoping for a masterclass from the Dutchman. Can he defy the odds and deliver a statement performance at Monza? The Temple of Speed awaits.
