Max Verstappen's monstrous triumph at Monza

Fortunately for everyone, Formula 1 today still has room for contrasts. Some as striking as the one Max Verstappen offered at Monza , where he emerged on the shoulders of fans after running his hand over the McLarens' faces and anesthetizing the fans , devoted as ever to a Ferrari that still hasn't taken off. A year after calling his Red Bull a "monster" and crossing the finish line sixth, almost 40 seconds behind the winner, the reigning champion put together a fabulous weekend, with a pole position for the ages—the fastest lap ever—and a triumph to remember, his third so far this season. In the midst of a triumphant run for the papaya single-seaters, who arrived in Italy riding a streak of five consecutive victories, the reigning champion stepped forward to say, "Here I am," and make it clear that if there's a monster in the championship, it can only be him.

Riding in a car disguised as a projectile, the best possible attire at the Temple of Speed, Verstappen showed no mercy to Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the only two who added a bit of excitement to the race, even though they never got within striking distance of him. The Briton's second place narrows the gap slightly in favor of the Australian (third), who has 31 points with nine Grands Prix remaining before putting the finishing touches on a World Championship that is unlikely to be tinged with any color other than orange. Fernando Alonso blew the suspension of his Aston Martin when he had eighth place within reach and had no choice but to retire. Carlos Sainz, meanwhile, crossed the finish line eleventh after colliding with Oliver Bearman.

McLaren has the advantage in most of the positions, but at Monza things went wrong for the Woking (Great Britain) team, which not only gave in to a sharper prototype, but also almost shot itself in the foot. There is an unwritten rule in the team codes that dictates that the driver in front has priority when it comes to visiting the garages. However,

There are specific situations that can alter that maxim, as happened this Sunday. To protect itself from a possible overtake by Charles Leclerc in the pits, McLaren changed the Melbourne driver's tires early, as he was currently (lap 45) driving behind his teammate. It immediately called for Norris's presence (lap 46). At the worst possible moment, the mechanic in charge of the front left tire got caught in the gun, a minor accident that could have caused massive chaos if not for the tremendous gap between the McLaren and the rest of the field. With everyone except Verstappen, who even allowed himself the luxury of commenting on his opponents' misfortunes on the radio while driving.

“Max, what can I say? You did everything perfectly: you showed pace and control,” congratulated Laurent Meckies, the team manager who replaced Christian Horner and celebrated his first victory from behind the energy wall. Just a year ago, Max finished sixth on the same track where he finished 20 seconds ahead of the best car on the grid this Sunday. The temple wasn't desecrated, but it was conquered. For the fans , it was a dreary Sunday. For McLaren, it was a wake-up call, the consequences of which are still unknown.