Max Verstappen: “Old-school Monza, I like it. We need to improve our tyre management” | F1 Italian GP. Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda share their thoughts ahead of the 2025 Italian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda share their thoughts ahead of the 2025 Italian Grand Prix in Monza

Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda have shared their thoughts ahead of the 2025 Monza Grand Prix, the 16th round of the Formula 1 World Championship.

F1 Monza: Verstappen building on Zandvoort podium

This season, Max Verstappen has once again shown the mindset of a world champion. While the Dutch driver has little realistic chance of adding another championship to his record, he knows how to seize every opportunity in front of him. At Zandvoort, he was phenomenal in both qualifying and the race start, overtaking Lando Norris with flawless control.

It remains to be seen whether Verstappen will deliver more magic at Monza, where his track record is not particularly strong: he has won only twice, including once in the nearly unbeatable RB23, and has not achieved additional podiums. Still, Monza is a circuit the Dutchman enjoys, as he confirmed ahead of the Italian Grand Prix.

Verstappen’s words

“Finishing in second place was a good result for us at Zandvoort. It was fantastic to celebrate in front of my home crowd and feel their support. Moving on to Monza, it’s a very fast circuit with a rich history and passionate fans. As a team, there are areas we need to work on to improve, including how we manage the tyres. It’s about maintaining performance from qualifying to the race and having the right pace on long runs, especially on this track. I enjoy the old-school style of the circuit; we’ll see what the weekend brings,” Verstappen said.

Tsunoda’s comments

“Scoring points at Zandvoort last weekend was a step in the right direction,” added Yuki Tsunoda. “I will carry this confidence to Monza, which feels like a home race for me. I live in Italy part of the year, so it will be nice to enjoy some comfort—and the food, of course! The team has already asked me for restaurant recommendations, and I’ll take them for pizza before the weekend starts. Monza is one of the classics on the calendar, and every driver looks forward to it eagerly. We have made progress race by race and will continue to work hard to improve the car and our performance, hoping to end the European season on a positive note.”