Max Verstappen has impressively won the Italian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver had to relinquish the lead in the race after the first lap, but he quickly recovered and then drove a controlled race to victory.
“It was a great day for us,” Verstappen beamed afterwards. “We had some bad luck in the first lap, but after that, we were flying. The car was running very well and I was able to set the pace in the first stint. Then we stopped at the right time and on the hard tyre, you can push a bit more. We executed it in a great way as a team. We were on top of it all weekend and it’s fantastic to win here.”
The race started chaotically with a lot of action in the first lap, but Verstappen quickly regained his composure. “I noticed right away that the speed was good,” he said. “In the beginning, everything still had to unfold a bit, as there were many battles on the track. But after that, I was able to quickly take the lead again.”
The Monza circuit, also known as the ‘Temple of Speed’, remains an iconic place for Formula 1 fans. For Verstappen, this makes the victory extra special. The Dutchman exuded confidence, but remains cautious about chances for the rest of the season. “We’re certainly going to try. We’re doing it step by step and race by race. But this was, of course, an incredible weekend.”
