2025 Italian Grand Prix

The McLaren entered the Monza pitlane for its one and only stop. Hit its marks perfectly. But Lando Norris‘ left-front wheel nut did not tighten properly. The tyre man noticed and informed the gun man, nudging him. The gun man re-tightened it. In the process, over three seconds were lost, which was enough for McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri – who’d stopped the lap before after trailing Norris throughout – to sail past. This gave McLaren another one of those horrible dilemmas in which team harmony and driver ambition clashed.

Bu this was all happening a long way behind Max Verstappen‘s Red Bull. Not only was the Red Bull fast enough to have allowed Verstappen’s near-perfect lap to translate to pole the day before, but it was faster in the race too. There was a great early dice between Verstappen and second-fastest qualifier Norris; the McLaren on the grass moments after the start, after being squeezed by the Red Bull, but getting the inside line into Turn 1 and forcing Verstappen onto the escape apron, from where he rejoined leading but under instruction to give the place back.

Norris briefly led, but couldn’t keep Verstappen at bay