Max Verstappen Eclipses Michael Schumacher; Registers Historic Italian Double At Imola

Last Updated:September 08, 2025, 10:58 IST

Max Verstappen set the fastest F1 qualifying lap and won the fastest race ever at Monza, ending a nine-race drought and breaking Michael Schumacher’s record.

Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen blitzed through the 'Temple of Speed' (X)

On Saturday, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen registered the fastest qualifying lap in F1 history, blistering through the ranks of Monza.

On Sunday, the four-time champion kept up more of the same pace as a fiery Verstappen won the fastest F1 race in history to complete an Italian double.

Verstappen cruised untroubled to the chequered flag to win the Italian Grand Prix by a margin of 19.2 seconds and take his first win since May to end a nine-race drought.

The 53-lap race was officially timed at one hour 13 minutes and 24.325 seconds, and an average speed of 250.706kph around Monza’s ‘Temple of Speed’.

The Red Bull driver eclipsed F1 legend Michael Schumacher’s 2003 benchmark of 1 hour, 14 minutes and 19.838 seconds, to lay claim to he fastest F1 race ever. That race, also at Monza, had stood as the sport’s speed record for more than two decades.

“The whole weekend, we were on it. It’s super enjoyable to win here," said Verstappen of his third success of the season and career 66th that also ended McLaren’s run of five wins in a row.

“I could see the pace was good, I just needed to settle in," the reigning world champion added after ceding the lead to Norris at a chaotic start and then taking it back without too much effort.

“I could see the pace was there and quite quickly we were back in the lead. This was an unbelievable weekend."

The victory was Verstappen’s first since Imola in May and only his third of the season, completing a memorable Italian double after he had set the fastest ever lap in Formula 1 history during qualifying on Saturday.

McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri claimed second and third positions on the podium, while Ferrari enjoyed a respectable showing on home soil, with Charles Leclerc finishing fourth and Lewis Hamilton securing sixth place.

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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News sports Max Verstappen Eclipses Michael Schumacher; Registers Historic Italian Double At Imola

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