F1 Monza GP – Max Verstappen regains confidence: “We’ve found the right direction for the RB21”. Max Verstappen’s dominant victory at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza has restored his confidence.

F1 | The Monza triumph gives confidence to Max: “We found the direction to make the RB21 perform”

Max Verstappen dominated at Monza and regained confidence in both himself and the car. While the Italian round had some unique characteristics, the Dutch driver feels that Red Bull has finally taken the right path to achieve better balance and showcase the qualities of the RB21. For Verstappen, this was a decisive factor behind his victory at the Italian Grand Prix.

Two out of two. In 2025 Max Verstappen has now stamped his authority on both Italian races, returning to the top step of the podium four months after his triumph at Imola in May. That win by the Santerno river had already been a surprise, but the victory at Monza was just as striking—not only because he finished first, but above all because of the manner in which he did it, leading the race from start to finish without being seriously challenged.

Already on Friday, Red Bull had shown it possessed both race pace and one-lap performance capable of putting McLaren under pressure. Yet nobody really expected such a dominant display, especially since Lando Norris managed to get ahead at the start. That early move did not alter the outcome of the race—in fact, it only served to underline Max Verstappen’s superiority, as he retook the position and launched himself toward victory.

Monza, of course, was always going to suit the RB21 more than the MCL39. The low-downforce setup, long straights rewarding aerodynamic efficiency, and fast corners where Red Bull has always been competitive all played into their hands. Securing pole position on Saturday was the first signal, but few anticipated such a crushing triumph, not even McLaren, who had expected to be in the fight.

“I would say the race pace was even better than expected, the balance was really good. I think for most of the first stint we were in a strong position, and even the tyres seemed in excellent shape,” Verstappen explained after the race, highlighting how comfortable he felt in the RB21 throughout the weekend.

During that opening stint, Verstappen set an impressive rhythm, pushing relentlessly without much tyre management. He paid a small price for that aggressive approach toward the end of the stint, when lap times among the frontrunners began to converge. “I’d say that towards the end of the first stint I started to struggle a little bit. And then I think we chose the right strategy.”

“We switched to the hard tyres so I could push flat out until the end. I understood McLaren’s plan of staying out, hoping for a Safety Car. But in the end, yes, it was all pretty straightforward—and sometimes that’s actually nice,” he added with satisfaction.

Verstappen’s own performance was crucial, especially in qualifying, but the four-time world champion pointed to a key element of Red Bull’s weekend: the progress the team has made with setup direction. This was something he had already stressed the previous day, placing it above both the characteristics of the Monza track and the technical updates introduced in Italy.

After the difficulties in Hungary—one of the weakest circuits of the season for the RB21—Red Bull dedicated significant time to understanding how to recover balance and unlock more setup options for the car. It was no coincidence that after his Monza win Max Verstappen underlined just how much a well-balanced car allowed him to push without destroying the tyres.

This is part of a longer process that has been ongoing for some time, but Max Verstappen now believes the team has found something tangible—a direction that could help them extract more performance in the remaining races of the season. “We’ve done a lot of experiments, trying different solutions,” he explained.

“Obviously, during this season we’ve been going a bit blind at times. And I think now we finally seem to have found a direction that suits the car. So I hope from now on it will be a bit more consistent, let’s put it that way,” added the four-time world champion. Helmut Marko also stressed how crucial it had been for Red Bull to start the Monza weekend on the right foot already from Friday practice.

Of course, some tracks will still suit the RB21 more than others. Even before Monza, Red Bull admitted that Baku—with its sharp corners and long straights—would be more favorable, while Singapore has traditionally been a tougher challenge for cars from Milton Keynes. Verstappen’s hope, however, is that this car can now find a true balance, allowing him to fight for more victories and deliver a more exciting end to the Formula 1 season.