MONZA, Italy -- As he closed in on victory in the closing laps of the Italian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen took a moment to chuckle at the running order of the orange cars trailing in the distance behind him.

When informed title contenders and teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had swapped positions on instruction of their McLaren team, the Red Bull driver couldn't help but laugh. "Ha! Just because he [Norris] had a slow stop?"

He can't have been the only one watching Sunday's to have reacted so incredulously as the situation played out behind him. In a title fight which has been as closely fought on track as this one, it was a remarkable moment. What he was referring to unfolded after McLaren's pitstops late in the race. With Verstappen stopping earlier and giving up track pos

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