The race entered a phase of deceptive calm.
Monza offered plenty of overtaking opportunities, but ultimately, it was a power track. If the engine performance wasn't there, all the slipstreams in the world wouldn't help. After twenty laps of intense shuffling, the order began to stabilize.
However, beneath the surface, the tension was palpable.
The battle between Verstappen and Bottas raged on. Verstappen felt the immense threat from the Mercedes. The Red Bull lacked the straight-line speed of the Silver Arrows, forcing Verstappen to overdrive the car, sacrificing his tires to defend against the Finn.
Further back, Ricciardo and Vettel were carving through the field. Armed with superior machinery, they sliced through the midfield, climbing the order. As the pit stop window opened for the rest of the grid, their positions improved further.
Quietly, Vettel had climbed back to P5, just behind his teammate Kai. Ricciardo had broken into the points, sitting P10 behind Williams' Lance Stroll.
The deck was being reshuffled.
But everything paled in comparison to the duel at the front: Hamilton vs. Kai.
On the broadcast, two cars separated the silver Number 44 and the red Number 22. But the experts knew better. The remote battle between Hamilton and Kai was just as fierce as any wheel-to-wheel combat.
The proof?
Fastest laps.
Hamilton and Kai were trading purple sectors. While Verstappen fought Bottas and Vettel fought traffic, the two leaders were in a league of their own, unleashing the full potential of their cars. The "Fastest Lap" graphic flashed repeatedly on the screen.
They were pushing each other to the limit.
If you looked closely, the gap wasn't massive—0.1 seconds here, 0.2 seconds there. It was clear they were both leaving something in reserve, not fully emptying the tank, but squeezing out performance drop by drop.
On the Ferrari pit wall, Pierre Borreipaire was working frantically.
He monitored the telemetry of both Mercedes cars while feeding Kai constant updates. Which sector to manage, which corner to watch. The situation changed every second.
Pierre didn't realize his shirt was soaked with sweat. He watched Kai matching Hamilton's pace, but he knew the hidden danger was surfacing: Tires.
Kai was on the Soft compound; Hamilton was on the Super Softs (started on). Hamilton had an easier time generating lap time. For Kai to match him, he had to stress his tires harder. What would happen at the end of the race?
That was why Pierre had to be precise with every piece of data.
In the cockpit, Kai was at 120% focus. Even without direct wheel-to-wheel combat, he was driving on a knife-edge. He avoided any violent inputs—no sudden braking, no aggressive throttle stomps, no sharp steering angles. Anything that could spike tire temperatures was forbidden.
Usually, this smooth style meant sacrificing lap time.
But Kai had the car setup advantage: Speed.
The Ferrari's low-downforce setup was perfect for Monza's straights. Kai focused on flowing through the corners, prioritizing momentum and exit speed to maximize his advantage on the straights. He maintained the gap to Hamilton without destroying his rubber.
On the surface, it looked like he was abusing the tires. In reality, he was challenging his own limits.
Tension! Focus! Immersion!
He was testing how much performance he could extract from himself and the track while protecting the car. He entered a state of lucid madness—his scalp tingled, his heart pounded, yet his mind was crystal clear. Every grain of asphalt, every vibration of the chassis was amplified in his brain. The car felt like an extension of his own limbs.
A smile crept onto his face.
Pierre noticed it on the telemetry screens. Tire temps, wear rates, brake temps—all the curves were astonishingly stable. It was a contradiction: purple sectors on screen, flat lines on the telemetry.
Pierre realized that maybe, just maybe, they could pull this off.
On the Mercedes pit wall, the mood was different.
Hamilton was preparing for the overcut. They watched Kai's times closely. Every time Kai went faster, Wolff smiled. Either the kid was burning his tires, or Ferrari was panicking to prevent the overcut. Either way, Mercedes had them.
Wolff gave the order: Push.
As expected, Kai responded. Wolff grinned. "Burn, baby, burn."
But the grin didn't last.
Wolff noticed Kai's lap times were still matching Hamilton's. The overcut window wasn't opening. If this continued, Kai would actually extend the gap as Hamilton's old tires faded.
"Damn it!" Wolff frowned.
Then, the situation changed again.
"Wait, who is that?"
"Red Bull?"
"Oh god, no. Daniel Ricciardo. Smoke. Lots of smoke. Engine failure."
"He just changed the power unit this weekend! And it's gone again!"
On the screen, the Number 3 Red Bull pulled off to the side of the track.
Wolff sat up straight. "Get ready. Safety Car window. Box, box, box if SC."
If the Safety Car came out, Hamilton could pit cheaply and jump Kai. It would be Melbourne all over again, but this time in Hamilton's favor.
Lap 24. Ricciardo retired. The broadcast sensed the pivotal moment.
The Mercedes crew rushed into the pit lane, tires ready. They waited.
Tick-tock. Seconds stretched into eternity.
However—
"FUCK! What is happening?! Where is my Safety Car?!" Wolff slammed his fist on the table, furious.
Only a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) or yellow flags? No full SC?
The air in the garage crackled with anger and disbelief.
Christian Horner was equally furious. Fuck!
Another Renault engine failure. And no Safety Car meant Verstappen lost his chance to pit cheaply and attack Hamilton.
Both Mercedes and Red Bull immediately lodged complaints with the FIA stewards, accusing them of ignoring safety to favor Ferrari at their home race.
But the decision stood. Just yellow flags.
Pierre Borreipaire went on high alert. Chaos was an opportunity.
Lap 26. Red Bull's protest failed. Verstappen pitted.
"Kai, watch out. Lewis might box in the next few laps," Pierre warned.
Lap 28. Hamilton pitted.
It wasn't a feint this time.
On track, the Number 22 Ferrari unleashed its pace. Kai went purple in Sector 3, blasting down the main straight.
Everyone watched the pit exit. Did the overcut work?
No. The red blur flashed past the pit exit long before the silver Mercedes reached the blend line. Hamilton's overcut had failed.
False alarm!
"YES!"
Matteo unclenched his fist. The Mercedes plot had failed!
He quickly composed himself, glancing around the bar. Luckily, everyone was cheering.
The roar at Monza was deafening. The earth shook.
But on the pit walls, the game shifted instantly.
James Vowles: "Valtteri, it's James. We need you to keep Kai behind."
Pierre: "Kai, gap to Bottas is 1.7 seconds. Mercedes might sacrifice him to block you."
Lap 28. The order: Bottas (not pitted), Kai, Hamilton, Vettel.
Essentially, it was two Mercedes sandwiching one Ferrari.
Bottas led, but his tires were old. He could have pitted and run his own race. But Mercedes made the call instantly.
Sacrifice Bottas. Help Hamilton.
Bottas didn't argue. He switched from pushing to defending immediately.
"Kai vs. Bottas." Round Two.
Kai wasn't surprised. He knew Bottas was a clean, solid defender. Patience was key.
But within a lap, Kai realized Bottas was driving for his life. The Finn was putting up a 120% defense. Rumors of his seat being under threat from Ocon (or even Kai) clearly motivated him.
He was a wall.
Kai tried for two laps but couldn't find a way past. Frustration began to build. Hamilton was closing in on fresh tires from behind. Pressure mounted.
Pierre sensed the danger. Bottas had nothing to lose; Kai had everything to lose.
"Kai, great job. Keep it up. Bottas's tires are dying. Keep the pressure on."
Pierre trusted Kai.
"I'm getting a face full of dust here," Kai chuckled over the radio. "Valtteri is giving me a masterclass in defense. I owe him a drink after this."
Pierre laughed.
Jokes aside, Kai was fully focused. Following in dirty air was hurting his tires. He had to pass.
Lap 32. Bottas's third lap of defense.
Bottas noticed Kai was getting impatient. Aggressive.
The radio told him: Kai is losing patience. Keep him uncomfortable.
Bottas wasn't so sure. Was Kai really losing his head?
Through Curva Grande, the second chicane, and the Lesmos... Kai was probing the limits. Bottas defended perfectly. He thought he had survived another lap.
But then, a moment of relaxation. A tiny gap.
Exiting Lesmo 2, Kai's exit was monstrous. He caught the slipstream instantly, the red car looming large in Bottas's mirrors as they roared down the straight toward Ascari.
Bottas was confused. He had pulled the usual gap to break the tow. Why was Kai so close?
Wait—
Before he could think, they arrived at the Variante Ascari. Turn 8, 9, 10.
Kai pulled out to the right.
Turn 8 is a left-hander. Kai was taking the outside line?
Bottas didn't hug the apex. He moved slightly right to squeeze Kai, maintaining the lead as they entered the corner.
Vroom! The Ferrari engine howled.
Bottas realized Kai wasn't backing down. Even with his line squeezed, Kai adjusted his angle and held his ground.
Wheel-to-wheel!
The heatwave compressed. They were side-by-side at 200 km/h. Millimeters separated disaster from glory.
Bayonets out! Close quarters combat!
Bottas led through Turn 8. He flicked right for Turn 9. He opened his steering slightly, squeezing the car on his outside further.
The Number 22 Ferrari hugged its line, wedging itself between the Mercedes and the edge of the track.
Rubbing! Bumping! Dust!
The crowd gasped.
Kai's right-side tires were completely off the track, bouncing over the gravel and grass. But he didn't lift. He kept his foot planted, fighting the vibrations.
They survived Turn 9. Now Turn 10, a left-hander.
Kai was now on the inside.
Bottas turned in, but the pressure from his right was immense. He had to open the steering slightly to avoid a collision.
That tiny gap was all Kai needed.
The Number 22 hugged the apex perfectly, while Bottas ran wide.
As they exited Ascari, they were still side-by-side, but Kai had the better traction.
The red car surged ahead, dragging a long tail of exhaust fumes, reclaiming the lead before the Parabolica.
Frontal breakthrough!
AHHH!
"KAI ZHIZHOU!"
"Courage! Skill! Determination!"
"In the wheel-to-wheel battle at Ascari, the young man shows his brilliance again! He breaks the Mercedes blockade!"
"Kai leads the Italian Grand Prix!"
Monza erupted. The Tifosi lost their minds. It was a volcanic release of emotion.
Matteo almost fell off his bar stool. He pumped his fist, screaming incoherently.
"YES!"
They broke the trap!
He realized he was cheering for the "baby driver," but he didn't care. He was happy.
Lap 33. Kai led. Mercedes' strategy had failed.
Bottas pitted immediately.
Now it was Kai vs. Hamilton. Hamilton had tires that were 8 laps fresher.
The pressure was entirely on Kai.
Look at Vettel. He pitted on Lap 29 for Super Softs. He had to make them last 24 laps.
Kai's Soft tires were 13 laps old. He had fought Hamilton, then Bottas. Now he had to hold off Hamilton again for 20 more laps.
Even a mule would collapse under this workload.
To the casual fan, it looked great. Kai was leading. To the expert, Mercedes held all the cards.
Hamilton knew it. He didn't rush. He stalked Kai, closing the gap methodically. He was saving his tires, waiting for the kill.
He would strike once, and it would be fatal.
The lead Ferrari was meat on the chopping block.
Hamilton felt no pity. Winner takes all.
Behind them, the battle for the podium heated up.
Vettel was charging, up to P5.
Bottas, now on fresh tires, caught Verstappen in P3.
Lap 43. 10 laps to go.
Bottas used DRS on the main straight. He went to the outside for Turn 1.
Verstappen defended. He moved left under braking.
But he moved too late.
BANG!
Tire smoke. Carbon fiber.
Bottas couldn't turn. He went straight on, cutting the chicane.
The commentators screamed.
The FIA announced: 5-second time penalty for Max Verstappen.
The crowd roared. If Verstappen had a penalty... did that mean Vettel could still reach the podium?
A seed of hope was planted.
But at the front, the shark was closing in.