Verstappen felt ‘like a turtle’ against Mercedes drivers in Italian GP

Max Verstappen left Monza with a podium finish but little satisfaction, insisting Red Bull’s lack of straight-line deployment had left him fighting with one hand tied behind his back against Mercedes’ drivers. The Dutchman had looked capable of disrupting the Brackley squad’s running order during the opening phase of Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix, climbing from fifth on the grid and embroiling himself in the battle at the sharp end. But once the race settled into its rhythm, a familiar weakness began to undermine his challenge. Even with fresher tyres after Red Bull called him in under the virtual safety car,…