Max Verstappen claims broken Italian Grand Prix track nearly put him out of the race

Max Verstappen secured a well-deserved podium finish after an exhilarating Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

He battled hard with the Mercedes duo, Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, but ultimately had to settle for third place.

Pierre Gasly started from pole, but following the second standing start, his Alpine quickly fell back.

Verstappen seized the opportunity while duelling with Russell and even led the race for several laps.

Meanwhile, Antonelli, who had started from P19 after an engine change, swiftly moved up the field and joined the battle.

A Virtual Safety Car was deployed due to Lance Stroll’s stranded Aston Martin, interrupting the fight between the Silver Arrows and Verstappen.

Although Russell managed to avoid the incident, he on older tyres he conceded victory to Antonelli in the final stages.

While Verstappen couldn’t quite match Antonelli’s pace on the fresh Pirelli hard tyres, he managed to pass the McLarens on his way to third.

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Verstappen loses sight of Mercedes

"It was a series of great battles, although I often had to attack from the outside because managing energy between turns two and four was extremely tricky," Verstappen explained after the race.

"Our top speed just wasn’t working in our favour today. I did my best to keep up, but the Mercedes were simply a notch quicker.

"I aimed to stay within a second in Overtake Mode, but at one point I ended up losing that window."

The four-time world champion then focused on his own race. "I had a moment in turn two when the track surface began to break apart.

"I nearly slid off onto the gravel. Shortly after, the McLarens in Overtake Mode were right behind me, which really makes a big difference on a circuit like this.

"Once I finally found an opening, I’m just glad to have finished third and to have earned this podium."

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