Max Verstappen stood on the podium at Monza, but beneath the surface of another strong result lies the same nagging issue that has defined Red Bull's 2026 season. Starting from fifth on the grid, the Dutchman could only manage third behind the two Mercedes, and he didn't hold back when explaining why.
Verstappen briefly led the Italian Grand Prix early on after dispatching Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and Pierre Gasly. But George Russell quickly fought back ahead, and from there, the story turned into a Mercedes masterclass. Race winner Kimi Antonelli, who started from the back, made light work of catching the Russell-Verstappen battle before both Silver Arrows pulled away from the Red Bull.
“There were some good battles out there,” Verstappen said after the race. “I had to send it many times around the outside because we were just struggling a lot with deployment from turns two to four compared to our competitors. In general top speed wasn’t our friend today so just tried to hang in there but they were just a bit too fast.”
The pivotal moment came when Lance Stroll's mid-race retirement triggered a virtual safety car. Verstappen pitted for fresh hard tyres, working his way up to third by the end. Yet unlike Antonelli, who made similar stops and carved through the field, the Red Bull driver couldn't make the same progress — a clear sign, he admitted, that the car simply lacked straight-line speed.
“That’s why I was trying to be in that overtake mode but at one point I lost that and tried to just do my own race. Happy with P3 and to be on the podium here,” he added.
Verstappen crossed the line over 10 seconds behind Russell in P2, though still 5 seconds clear of Lando Norris in P4, who emerged victorious from a late duel with teammate Oscar Piastri. While not a win, it marks the closest Verstappen has been to Mercedes all season — a glimmer of hope, but also a stark reminder that Red Bull still has significant work to do.
Baca Juga
Analisis mendalam GP Italia: insiden Ferrari di lap pertama, peluang gelar Antonelli, dan strategi Russell. Simak verdict lengkap kami.
Kimi Antonelli menang spektakuler di GP Italia 2026, menegaskan status juara dunia F1. George Russell pasrah, Max Verstappen finis podium.
George Russell sportif usai Kimi Antonelli menangi GP Italia berkat strategi split Mercedes. Russell mengakui keputusan berani tim dan tetap bertahan di P2 klasemen.
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