Verstappen wins again as Pérez finishes in second at Monza Giving Red Bull Racing Their Sixth 1-2 on The Season.
Max Verstappen set a new Formula One record as he surpassed the mark set by Sebastian Vettel and won a 10th consecutive race thanks to another impeccable drive, this time at the Italian Grand Prix.
Verstappen slotted behind the pole-sitting Carlos Sainz at the start but hounded his rival as the opening stint wore on, eventually forcing the Ferrari driver into a mistake at the first chicane on Lap 15 and then sweeping past around the outside of the Curva Grande.
From there, the reigning double world champion never looked back, pulling out a comfortable advantage up front for his latest F1 record as Sainz, team mate Sergio Perez and the other Ferrari of Charles Leclerc fought over the remaining podium positions.
The victory ensured that Oracle Red Bull Racing have won every race this season and extended Verstappen’s lead to 145 points in the drivers’ championship from teammate Sergio Pérez, who was able to finish in second.
On setting a new record, Verstappen said: “I never would of believed that was possible but we had to work for it today and that made it definitely a lot more fun.”
Sainz and Leclerc sent heart rates racing at the Scuderia as they went wheel-to-wheel over third all the way to the chequered flag – a huge lock-up from the Monegasque into the first chicane on the last lap settling the scrap in his team mate’s favour.
Behind the drama at the front, Mercedes logged a solid double points finish as George Russell and Lewis Hamilton came home fifth and sixth respectively, despite both drivers being hit with five-second time penalties.
Russell took his for leaving the track and gaining an advantage at the first chicane in a fight with Alpine driver Esteban Ocon, while Hamilton – who used a different tyre strategy to make up ground late on – took his for a clash with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri at the second chicane.
Alex Albon gave Williams some more points in seventh, defending from the other McLaren of Lando Norris in a race to the finish line, as the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso and Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas completed the top 10.
Beyond the racing on the track, the records that Verstappen is making this season will make for a lengthy chapter in the history of F1.
“I never would have believed [10 wins in a row] was possible, but we had to work for it today and that was definitely a lot more fun,” said race-winner Verstappen. “We had good pace, we were good on the tires, but [Ferrari] had a lot of top speed. It was so hard to get close and make the move into Turn 1. I had to force [Sainz] into a mistake and luckily it came at some point where he locked up, and I had better traction out of Turn 2, which was good, so we could do my own race.”
Verstappen, who matched Vettel’s record last week by winning his home race in the Netherlands, is on course to win his third world championship this year.
After Verstappen and Vettel, the next names in that record book are three Formula 1 drivers who have won seven races in a row: Alberto Ascari, Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.
Verstappen has won 12 out of the 14 races so far this season, while his Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Perez has won the other two. For note; no single team has ever won every race in a Formula 1 season.
Verstappen now holds records in Formula 1 for:
Most Consecutive Wins – 10 (2023)
Most Wins In A Season – 15 (2022)
Most Points In A Season – 454 (2022)
Youngest Driver To Win A Race (18 years)
Youngest Driver To Score Points (17 years)
Youngest Driver To Start A Race (17 years)