Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc narrowly missed out on delivering a home podium for the Tifosi at Monza, finishing a frustrating fourth in the 2025 Italian Grand Prix as Max Verstappen claimed a dominant win for Red Bull on Sunday, September 7.
Despite the passionate support of the crowd and a strong qualifying performance that put him on the second row, Leclerc was unable to challenge the frontrunners during the race. He held steady in fourth throughout the afternoon but lacked the pace to reel in the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who finished second and third behind the imperious Verstappen.
Leclerc’s best shot at the podium came during the pit stop phase, but Ferrari’s strategy failed to leapfrog either McLaren, both of whom were embroiled in their own intra-team drama. After a slow stop dropped Norris behind Piastri, McLaren opted to swap positions late in the race, allowing Norris to retake second and consolidate his place in the championship standings.
That call left Leclerc hoping for late-race chaos, but none arrived. Instead, the Monegasque driver was left to cross the line just a few seconds behind the podium trio, greeted by a muted response from the normally electric Monza grandstands.
Up front, Verstappen had little to worry about after reclaiming the lead early on. Despite initially surrendering the position to Norris after skipping Turn 1 at the start, the reigning world champion made a decisive move a few laps later to resume control of the race and never looked back. A well-timed pit stop and error-free drive secured his third win of the 2025 season, as he continues his hunt for a fifth consecutive title.
Behind Leclerc, George Russell brought his Mercedes home in fifth, while teammate Lewis Hamilton recovered from a grid penalty to take sixth. Williams’ Alex Albon impressed in seventh, ahead of rookie Gabriel Bortoleto in the Kick Sauber and Kimi Antonelli, who overcame a penalty to secure ninth. Isack Hadjar completed the top ten after a stellar drive from the pit lane.
But for Ferrari and their home crowd, the day was one of what might have been. Despite strong pace and high hopes, the Scuderia once again fell short of a podium on home soil — a painful reminder of how far they still have to go to close the gap to Red Bull and McLaren.
