F1 Italy GP analysis: Ferrari’s bold gamble falls short but gives hope. Max Verstappen dominates at Monza while Ferrari struggles with an extreme low-downforce setup.

F1 Monza GP analysis: Ferrari struggles with an extreme low-downforce setup.

Max Verstappen claimed a commanding victory at Monza, outpacing even the McLaren drivers, while Ferrari could not extract more than a fourth and sixth-place finish from their duo. Here’s a detailed analysis of the Italian Grand Prix.

The Italian Grand Prix undoubtedly left a bitter taste for Ferrari fans, forced to settle for Charles Leclerc in fourth and Lewis Hamilton in sixth after a race that fell below expectations. The initial prospects seemed promising, but over the long distance, the weaknesses of the SF-25 resurfaced, once again denying the team a shot at victory. Yet, the final gap to the McLarens was among the smallest of the season, demonstrating that Maranello’s car was not entirely off the pace.

Max Verstappen: dominance without comparison

Starting with the winner, Max Verstappen, there is little to comment on: no rival could match his performance. The 20-second margin even over the otherwise unstoppable McLaren cars is proof of his supremacy. The Dutch driver’s incredible synergy with his car allowed Red Bull engineers to reduce rear wing drag, providing a significant top-speed advantage. The aerodynamic efficiency of the RB21, combined with the possibility of running a stiffer suspension setup, allowed the Brackley team to bounce back after some challenging weekends. Special mention must go to the updates on the floor area, which, paired with the new rear wing, further strengthened the RB21’s competitiveness.

McLaren struggles with an overly heavy setup

The McLaren MCL39, however, showed its limits on a circuit where straight-line efficiency is crucial. The significant downforce generated by the car hindered its Monza ambitions: an advantage in corners came at the cost of speed on the straights. Tyres played a crucial role, with minimal degradation—a factor that the MCL39 manages better than any other car.

Despite this, the British car remains a benchmark on the grid and will be difficult to beat for the remainder of the season. Lando Norris, directly behind Max Verstappen, lost roughly three-tenths per lap, while Oscar Piastri fell behind by four-tenths.

Ferrari not far from McLaren but unable to do more

Behind Piastri, Charles Leclerc finished fourth, averaging a lap deficit of 450 thousandths to Verstappen—almost identical to the McLaren duo. The SF-25 paid the price for an extremely low-downforce setup, heavily penalising it in corners and causing overheating issues. On the upside, Ferrari’s top speeds were exceptionally high, with Lewis Hamilton reaching 365 km/h, making the car virtually untouchable on the straights. However, tyre management issues, stemming from corner sliding, forced Leclerc to ease off, making a position higher than fourth unattainable. Encouragingly, the second stint on hard tyres was consistent and competitive, even if not at Verstappen’s level.

The next race will be in Baku, one of the fastest tracks on the calendar. Here, McLaren could once again reveal the same vulnerabilities seen at Monza, while Ferrari will face a crucial test of maturity to determine if the limitations of the 2025 car are indeed what we witnessed in Italy.