F1 Italian Grand Prix 2025: FIA Confirms Final Results After Penalties A… Read more
F1 Italian Grand Prix 2025: Verstappen Triumphs as FIA Confirms Final Results After Penalties
The 2025 Formula 1 season added yet another dramatic chapter at Monza, as the Italian Grand Prix ended in chaos, controversy, and ultimately, celebration for Max Verstappen, who stormed to a dominant victory. The FIA confirmed the official classification late on Sunday evening after a string of penalties and strategy mishaps shaped the order in the closing stages.
For Verstappen, this win marked only his third triumph of the season, but it could not have come at a more critical moment. Cutting through the drama surrounding him, the Dutchman’s clinical drive reaffirmed his status as a constant threat in the championship picture, even if he remains some distance behind Oscar Piastri in the standings.
The drama began with McLaren’s strategy blunder during the pit stop phase. Piastri was able to undercut teammate Lando Norris, vaulting himself ahead in the fight for second. However, in a controversial call, McLaren later instructed the Australian to yield position back to Norris, believing that the Briton had the stronger pace to chase Verstappen. The move did not change the overall outcome, but it did create tension within the camp. Norris eventually secured second place, while Piastri crossed the line in third. The result reduces Piastri’s championship lead to 32 points, with Norris keeping the pressure on. Verstappen, meanwhile, sits 94 points adrift, lurking in third with plenty still to play for.
At Ferrari’s home race, Charles Leclerc gave the tifosi reason to cheer, finishing fourth, just over 25 seconds behind the winner. His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, faced a tougher battle. The seven-time world champion carried a penalty from the previous Dutch Grand Prix, which dropped him to 10th on the grid. Despite that setback, Hamilton delivered a strong recovery drive, eventually finishing sixth, sandwiched between George Russell’s Mercedes in fifth and Alex Albon’s impressive Williams effort in seventh.
The midfield saw its fair share of storylines as well. Young Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto put in a standout performance for Kick Sauber, finishing eighth after staying out of trouble. Kimi Antonelli, however, endured disappointment at his first Formula 1 home race. The Italian teenager thrilled fans with a battling drive into the points, but a late penalty for erratic driving dropped him down the order to ninth. Isack Hadjar rounded out the top ten for Racing Bulls, continuing his steady rookie season.
Further down, Carlos Sainz missed out on points for Williams in 11th, while Oliver Bearman came home 12th in the Haas after serving a 10-second penalty for causing a collision. The Red Bull garage had mixed emotions: Verstappen celebrated victory, but teammate Yuki Tsunoda struggled, finishing only 13th. Liam Lawson brought the second Racing Bull home in 14th, with the remainder of the field finishing a lap down.
Retirements included Fernando Alonso, whose Aston Martin suffered issues after just 28 laps, and Nico Hülkenberg, whose Kick Sauber bowed out 53 laps in.
Another talking point at Monza was the disappearance of the fastest lap point, following a rule change for 2025. Although Norris clocked the quickest lap of the race—a 1:20.901 on lap 53—he gained no extra reward for his effort. Since 2019, drivers had been able to claim a bonus point for setting the fastest lap if they finished in the top 10, but the rule was scrapped after teams increasingly used it as a tactical tool. The most memorable example came in Singapore 2024, when Daniel Ricciardo, in his farewell race, pitted late and snatched the fastest lap point away from Norris, influencing Verstappen’s title push.
At Monza, however, there were no such twists. Verstappen’s clinical display ensured that the final classification—after all penalties were applied—reflected his supremacy on the day. For McLaren, the pain of a costly pit stop error was softened by a double podium, though questions linger about whether team orders might sow discord between their two title contenders. For Ferrari, home glory eluded them, but Leclerc’s consistency and Hamilton’s fightback gave fans reasons to remain optimistic heading into the next round.
With eight races left, the championship battle remains finely poised. Piastri leads, Norris is closing in, and Verstappen—while still 94 points behind—has shown once again that he is never to be counted out.
Final Classification – 2025 Italian Grand Prix (with penalties applied)
1. Max Verstappen – Red Bull – 1:13.23
2. Lando Norris – McLaren – +19.207s
3. Oscar Piastri – McLaren – +21.351s
4. Charles Leclerc – Ferrari – +25.624s
5. George Russell – Mercedes – +32.881s
6. Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari – +37.449s
7. Alex Albon – Williams – +50.537s
8. Gabriel Bortoleto – Kick Sauber – +58.484s
9. *Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes – +59.762s
10. Isack Hadjar – Racing Bulls – +63.891s
Fastest Lap: Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:20.901 on Lap 53 (no point awarded).
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