Max Verstappen has expressed that the team order fiasco involving the McLaren drivers late in the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix is “not my problem”.
Verstappen stormed to a sensational pole position on Saturday after setting the fastest lap in F1 history at Monza.
The 53-lap race saw the Dutchman maintain his lead and cross the chequered flag to bag his third Italian GP win in four years, and ended his eight-race winless streak in 2025.
But behind him, a late-race pit stop error saw Lando Norris relinquish second place to team-mate Oscar Piastri.
However, the McLaren pit wall was quick to issue team orders and allow the Briton to regain the place on Australian on the pit straight.
Norris took the chequered flag in second with Piastri trailing him. With eight races to go, Norris now sits 31 points off Piastri – a gap that could have been 38 points.
When informed on his team radio comms during the race, Verstappen quipped, saying, “Ha! Just because he [Norris] had a slow stop?”
After the race, however, the four-time World Champion was very categorical about his stance on the team orders.
“I know that you guys want a fun answer on that, but it’s not my problem,” he told media including Motorsport Week. “It’s better not to talk about it.”
Verstappen reflects on battle with Norris
Despite getting a good launch off the line, Verstappen was hounded by Norris’ MCL39 into the first chicane.
Verstappen was forced to take evasive action and took to the escape road on the outside but retained the lead.
Red Bull asked the 27-year-old to give the place to Norris owing to this, however, he quickly retook first place.
“There was a lot going on after the first lap, even into Turn 1,” he said about the opening laps.
“I think Oscar and Charles were fighting as well. I could see in my mirror, so it took like two, three laps to settle in a bit, and then from there onwards, it was fine.”
READ MORE – Max Verstappen dominates F1 Italian GP as McLaren make late team switch
Discussion about this post