Editorial: A weak point? Too strong

Once again, Scuderia failed to keep pace with Max Verstappen, but this time it wasn't Ferrari's fault: it simply couldn't compete with the Dutchman's speed.

It's hard not to feel a sense of déjà vu as Max Verstappen adds another victory to his already impressive record. At the start of the weekend, attention was divided between the Dutchman and Ferrari. Verstappen was on the verge of claiming his tenth consecutive victory, a feat that would eclipse Sebastian Vettel's record, while the SF-23s arrived at Monza hoping to end his dominance on his home turf. A brief wave of optimism swept across Italy when Carlos Sainz took pole position in front of the Tifosi, leaving Charles Leclerc waiting and Verstappen with a surprisingly sparse field behind him.

Even in this uncomfortable position, the reigning champion never faltered. True to form, Verstappen took the initiative, managing his tires to perfection and pulling away from the Spaniard early on. By the final laps, the Red Bull was already just a distant dot on the horizon. Criticism of Scuderia Ferrari has been fierce in recent races, but today there is little to complain about. Fred Vasseur's team avoided the pit stop error that had haunted them at Zandvoort and delivered an almost flawless performance. Nevertheless, Red Bull was simply faster and Verstappen, comfortable in his car, had better control in the early stages. Sainz's podium finish will still be welcomed by the Italian crowd, even if a victory would have been the dream result.