Race report
Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber), who had been due to start 12th, pulled into the pit lane to retire at the end of the formation lap with a hydraulic failure. [23] With Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine) starting from the pit lane, just 17 drivers took the starting grid for the race. Polesitter Max Verstappen (Red Bull) did not appear to get as strong a start as second-placed Lando Norris (McLaren). Verstappen quickly moved across the track to block Norris, resulting in Norris' right side wheels briefly touching the trackside grass, however he could not prevent Norris from taking the advantageous inside line for the Rettifilo chicane. Verstappen ultimately cut across the run-off area, keeping his position in the process. Behind the two leaders, Norris' teammate Oscar Piastri, who had started third, was passed at the Rettifilo by Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), however he was able to retake the position shortly after by passing Leclerc around the outside at the first Lesmo corner. [24]
In order to avoid a potential penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, Verstappen was quickly instructed over team radio to cede the lead to Norris, an order which he obeyed entering the Rettifilo on lap 2. Piastri attempted to take advantage of this and challenge Verstappen himself, however in doing so compromised his exit from the chicane and allowed Leclerc to pass him for a second time around the outside of the Curva Grande. Further back, Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) attempted to pass Esteban Ocon (Haas) for 14th place at the Roggia chicane, however he was forced to take to the run-off area and drop positions after Ocon moved across the track and squeezed Stroll onto the grass; stewards would give Ocon a five-second time penalty for forcing another driver off the circuit. [24]
As drivers began to settle into the race, Verstappen continued to apply pressure on Norris and retook the lead at the start of lap 4 around the outside of the Rettifilo. On lap 5 Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, who had already gained two positions on the opening lap to move into eighth, passed Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso down the inside at the same corner to take seventh. On lap 6, Piastri passed Leclerc around the outside of the Rettifilo to move back into third, with Hamilton passing Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto at the start of the following lap to take sixth. On lap 18, Russell's teammate Kimi Antonelli passed Verstappen's teammate Yuki Tsunoda down the inside of the Rettifilo to take ninth. At the end of lap 20, both Bortoleto and Alonso made what they intended to be their sole pit stop of the race. Bortoleto's stop was slow, allowing Alonso to jump ahead of him and re-join in 15th, with Bortoleto also emerging behind Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), who had already made his stop, although Bortoleto quickly repassed Lawson. On lap 25, Alonso's race ended suddenly as he suffered a front-right suspension failure whilst exiting the Ascari complex, although he was able to return to the pit and thus no virtual or full safety car was necessary. [24]
With tyre wear proving to be low, the leaders were in no rush to make their mandatory pit stop. Verstappen, who had comfortably maintained a five-second lead over Norris, pitted at the end of lap 37 and re-joined in third behind the McLarens. On lap 40, Carlos Sainz Jr. (Williams) attempted to pass Oliver Bearman of Haas for 13th place, resulting in the pair running side-by-side as they entered the Roggia chicane. Sainz, who was on the outside, was ahead entering the corner, causing Bearman to brake late, in order to defend his position. Bearman's front-right tire made contact with Sainz's rear-left, resulting in both drivers spinning, and allowing Hadjar to pass both as they returned to the track. The stewards gave Bearman a ten-second penalty for the incident as well as two penalty points, leaving him with 10 of the 12 penalty points needed to incur a race ban. [25] On lap 45, Piastri finally became the first McLaren to make a pit stop, taking soft tyres and maintaining third place. Race leader Norris dove into the pits on the following lap, but had a slow stop due to an issue with his front-left tyre, and unexpectedly emerged behind his championship rival Piastri. McLaren quickly requested to Piastri that he allow Norris to repass him, reminding him over team radio of how Norris had done similar after undercutting him during the previous year's Hungarian Grand Prix. Piastri stated over team radio that he "did not really get" why he should let Norris through, but complied with the instruction and waved Norris through at the start of lap 49. [24]
Ultimately, Verstappen comfortably won the race ahead of the McLarens, taking his 66th career Grand Prix win as well as his third win this season and the second win in Italy this year after the win at Imola. [26] With an average speed of 250.706 km/h (155.781 mph) it was the fastest race in Formula One history, [27] beating Michael Schumacher's record from the same event in 2003. [28] Norris' fastest lap, set on the final lap, also set a new record for the fastest race lap in Formula One history, averaging 257.781 km/h (160.178 mph) and beating Rubens Barrichello's record from the 2004 running of the race. [29] This was Red Bull's first Grand Prix victory without Christian Horner as their team principal. [30]
Lando Norris 
