The Italian Grand Prix at Monza in September 2025 saw one of the most striking turnarounds of the season. For much of the summer, McLaren had dominated with five consecutive victories, leaving Red Bull and Max Verstappen seemingly adrift. The Dutch driver had not stood on the top step of the podium since May, so his victory at Monza was seen by many as an unexpected return to form.

Yet inside Red Bull, the perception was rather different. Team principal Laurent Mekies was keen to stress that the Monza success was not a sudden occurrence, but rather the culmination of a year-long process that originated at the same venue in 2024. That earlier race had exposed fundamental weaknesses in Red Bull’s approach to high-speed circuits and forced a rethink, which Mekies believes finally bore fruit twelve months later.

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Red Bull’s painful Monza lesson

When Formula 1 arrived in Monza for the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, Red Bull were already aware that the circuit presented a distinct challenge.

The old royal park is the last true high-speed track on the modern calendar and requires cars to have unique aerodynamic solutions that balance straight-line speed with stability through the sweeping corners.

As Mekies himself explained, “Monza is always a delicate balancing act, because you do a lot of things just for this track: special wings, special setup — all of that just for this one venue”.

Despite bringing updates that year, including front and rear wings tailored specifically for Monza, the outcome was disappointing. Ferrari and Charles Leclerc triumphed on home soil, while Verstappen could manage only sixth place. For a team accustomed to dominating, this was a clear warning sign. Rather than writing it off as a one-off failure, Red Bull began a thorough analysis of their performance shortfall, identifying the particular vulnerabilities of their package in ultra-low downforce conditions.

Mekies described the 2024 weekend as the “starting point”. It provided the catalyst for a renewed focus on understanding and overcoming the limitations of the RB20 at circuits with extreme top speeds. From that moment onward, the engineers in Milton Keynes have placed renewed emphasis on solutions that will benefit not just Monza, but their overall development direction too.

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They engineered a different approach

Fast forward to 2025 and Red Bull returned to Monza with a different approach to the previous year. Yes, the team once again ran a modified front wing, a necessary tweak to manage drag and airflow at this unique circuit. However, rather than committing to a rear wing designed solely for Monza, they opted for an alternative solution. Rather than pursuing an ultra-thin rear wing, the team focused their development efforts on underbody changes that had broader relevance.

This underfloor work was not Monza-specific, which meant it could help the team across multiple tracks rather than creating a one-off part destined to be discarded after the Italian round. Mekies confirmed that this shift in emphasis was central to Verstappen’s return to form at the Temple of Speed. ‘The car was in a significantly better window than at other tracks,’ he said, acknowledging that the balance and confidence Verstappen enjoyed were a direct result of the revised package.

The outcome exceeded even Red Bull’s own expectations. Verstappen drove a commanding race, making full use of the improved straight-line performance while still having enough grip to defend and attack when needed. For the first time in months, McLaren’s dominance was broken. To Red Bull, the win did not appear as a fortunate anomaly, but rather as validation of the decisions taken over the past year.

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The driver’s role in the turnaround

While Mekies was careful to highlight the engineering work that underpinned the performance, he also acknowledged Verstappen’s contribution.

“Max also delivered an extremely strong performance,” he said. This should not be overlooked. In seasons where margins are razor-thin, a driver’s confidence in the car can be decisive. Verstappen had appeared increasingly frustrated during McLaren’s run of victories, but Monza provided him with an opportunity to regain control.

His performance was flawless, from qualifying to executing the race with precision. Although McLaren had arrived at Monza as favourites, Verstappen’s dominance on Sunday made the victory appear far more straightforward than the intense engineering battle that took place behind the scenes.

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Caution before celebration

Despite the positive outcome, Mekies was measured in his assessment of what it means for Red Bull’s season.

“It seems like we even exceeded our target in Monza,” he admitted, before warning that the real test would come in subsequent races. The Italian circuit is an outlier where unique setups can distort relative performance. The more important question is whether the gains found at Monza will translate to more conventional venues.

This is why the team have identified the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku as a crucial test. The street layout rewards top speed, but also demands a wider variety of cornering. If the underbody changes work there, Red Bull will have strong evidence that they are back on a sustainable upward trend.

An early indicator was not entirely encouraging, however. In Friday practice at Baku, Verstappen could only manage sixth place, six tenths of a second behind the leading Ferrari drivers. For a team eager to prove that Monza was not an isolated success, such a gap raises questions about whether the improvements are circuit-specific rather than indicative of genuine progress.

While the win did not transform the championship picture overnight, it injected fresh intrigue into a season that had appeared to be tilting inexorably towards McLaren. Ferrari’s continued competitiveness complicates matters further, as Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have both demonstrated their ability to capitalise on opportunities when the frontrunners falter.

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MORE F1 NEWS – Hadjar breaks silence over the rumour

Isack Hadjar has emerged as one of the most promising newcomers of the 2025 Formula One season. Driving for Racing Bulls, the French rookie has stunned many observers with his consistently excellent performances, which far exceed expectations for a first-year driver. His success has inevitably led to speculation in the paddock that he is destined for a rapid promotion to the senior Red Bull Racing team, but Hadjar himself appears unmoved by the rumours.

Rumours have been circulating for several months, fuelled by his impressive on-track results and Red Bull’s ongoing struggle to find a reliable partner for Max Verstappen. Senior advisor Helmut Marko told German outlet Sport1 that a formal decision regarding Hadjar’s future could be made around the Mexico Grand Prix weekend at the end of October. For now, however, the 20-year-old insists that his focus remains firmly on driving rather than indulging in transfer gossip…READ MORE ON THIS STORY