Red Bull explains 'difficult' Max Verstappen instruction after Lando Norris incident at Monza

Why it matters: Red Bull made the difficult, but ultimately successful, decision to instruct Max Verstappen to cede the lead to Lando Norris at the Italian Grand Prix, prioritizing penalty avoidance. The team's careful strategy paid off, securing a crucial victory.

The incident: On the opening lap at Monza, Max Verstappen cut Turn 1, gaining an advantage over Lando Norris. Race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase immediately instructed him to give the position back, as FIA stewards noted the incident.

The outcome: Verstappen complied on Lap 2, letting Norris pass into Turn 1. However, on Lap 4, Verstappen aggressively reclaimed the lead from the McLaren in the same spot, cruising to his third win of the season and the team's first in the post-Christian Horner era.

Context: A similar incident earlier this year in Saudi Arabia saw Verstappen take to the run-off against Oscar Piastri at Turn 1, but he did not give up the lead. This resulted in a five-second time penalty, costing him the victory.

Red Bull's rationale: Team boss Laurent Mekies explained it's "always a case-by-case basis" and a "difficult situation" to ask a driver to return the lead, especially when unsure of a pace advantage. He stated, "it was felt that we should give the position back and not risk a penalty." Verstappen's ability to quickly re-pass Norris eased their concerns, proving the decision effective.