Max Verstappen. Source: Red Bull Content Pool

F1 LIVE | Hamilton's "lost his mojo", F1 legend believes a major battle looms ahead

07:00, 16 Sep

Updated: 20:12, 16 Sep

byPietro Vurro

Another day, another F1 news liveblog. Follow all the buildup and biggest stories of the day with GPblog's liveblog below!

Pierre wache red bull monza f1 verstappen

Pierre Wachè entering the F1 paddock - Credits: RacePictures.com

LiveBlog

Will Red Bull win again? Pierre Wachè gives his answer

Max Verstappen dominated the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, securing victory with a gap of nearly 20 seconds over Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. His performance was boosted by Red Bull’s introduction of a new floor, which provided a significant improvement in downforce.

The upgrade marked a key step forward for Red Bull, allowing Verstappen to extract even more pace from the RB21 and maintain a commanding lead throughout the race. The team credited the development as a turning point in refining the car’s overall balance and efficiency.

After the race, Red Bull’s technical director Pierre Waché explained that the new setup direction had already shown promise in Zandvoort and was further optimized in Monza. He expressed optimism about carrying the gains into upcoming races, though he admitted the team will need to see how the package performs across different circuits.

F1 legend claims Ferrari 'has made moves' to secure Verstappen

Giancarlo Minardi has suggested that Ferrari is actively working to bring Max Verstappen to Maranello in the near future. The former F1 manager believes “secret negotiations” and discussions have taken place, but doubts whether the Dutchman sees Ferrari as a winning project right now.

Verstappen himself admitted he would only consider driving for Ferrari if the team offered a genuine chance to fight for victories and championships. While acknowledging Ferrari’s prestige and emotional pull, he stressed that passion alone would not guide his decision.

With the new 2026 regulations set to shake up Formula 1, Verstappen left the door open for future possibilities. He underlined that his priority remains being in the best car on the grid, and that any move to Ferrari would have to be driven by performance, not sentiment.