Max Verstappen is targeting victory once again at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, one of the few races he is yet to win in his Formula 1 career.
The reigning World Champion has remarkably never finished higher than fifth at the ‘Temple of Speed’; however, the Dutchman is the clear favourite this weekend.
The Red Bull Racing driver is storming his way to retaining his world title, with the Dutch driver likely to claim the 2022 Drivers’ Championship at either the Singapore or Japanese Grand Prix.
Monza should suit the RB18 to a tee, with the Red Bull having proven to have astounding top speed, something which will play massively in their favour at the fastest circuit on the calendar.
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If Verstappen wins this weekend then it will be his 11th win of the season, edging him ever closer to the record held by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel of the most victories in a single season.
The record currently sits at 13 race wins, something Verstappen could potentially beat by some margin considering that there are still seven races remaining this season.
The Dutchman is in a complete league of his own, currently, with Ferrari tripping themselves up with an endless run of comical strategic blunders.
The Scuderia will be crossing their fingers and legs this weekend in front of the Tifosi, as they aim for not only a home victory but also a race without another error.
Verstappen has already sent his fighting message to Ferrari by revealing that Red Bull don’t have “any real weaknesses”, with the championship leader “looking forward to Monza”.
“I don’t think we have any real weaknesses, but we know we are stronger at some places than others,” he explained.
“On a high down-force track, it’s a bit more difficult to get the best out of our package, but for medium down-force levels, I think our car is every efficient.
“That’s why we are looking forward to Monza!”
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Verstappen currently leads the championship by a staggering 109-points from team-mate Sergio Pérez, with Leclerc currently in third.
Red Bull also lead the Constructors’ Championship by 135-points from Ferrari, with the Italian side needing something of a miracle to close the gap on their Austrian rivals.
Ferrari will also have to keep an eye over their shoulder in front of their home crowd, with the Mercedes F1 Team only 30 points behind as it stands.