SEPTEMBER 7, 2025

Verstappen really can win at Monza - Marko

Max Verstappen unexpectedly shattered McLaren's aura of dominance at Monza by storming to pole position with the fastest lap in Formula 1 history.

The quadruple world champion clocked an average speed of 264.682kph, eclipsing Lewis Hamilton's five-year-old record. Yet Verstappen, who has struggled with Red Bull's 2025 car, thinks it's not the fastest car ever.

The asphalt is different and we have different kerbs, so the circuit is simply faster, he told Viaplay. "If you drive the 2020 Mercedes here, you'll go even faster.

Especially if you put me in that car, he grinned.

Verstappen admitted he is unsure if pole will translate to victory. The race is usually our sticking point. I think McLaren will be fast. They always are in the race - they're always better in the race than in qualifying.

But Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko was more upbeat, even though pole rarely converts to victory at Monza in the modern era.

If Max can stay in front, he can manage his laptimes and tyre management, he told Sky Deutschland. The long run on Friday was great. So I'm optimistic that this statistic won't come into play.

So why does McLaren suddenly appear vulnerable? Our car is very competitive in the corners, admitted team boss Andrea Stella. "Even here, we're the fastest in almost every corner.

But the corners are relatively short. Overall, we can't be as dominant as on some other tracks.

Championship leader Oscar Piastri, only third on the grid behind Lando Norris, agreed. We're vulnerable on certain tracks. When the competition gets closer to us, it's usually Max. The only surprise is how much Red Bull has improved compared to last year.

Marko suggested the difference is Verstappen himself. Only a driving genius like him can do that, he said, though he also revealed Red Bull has changed its approach post-Horner, especially with setup and Friday programs.

Verstappen downplayed that. Yes and no, he said. "The car is still sensitive, but I think we understand a bit better where we need to be with the car setup-wise.

That won't help much with the setup for next year, but it will with certain things in the long run.

(GMM)