Max’s aura is fading

Max Verstappen heads to the Italian Grand Prix with his unbeatable aura fading and a fourth straight world championship looking far less certain than before Formula One's summer break.

- Milan

MONZA: FIVE-RACE DROUGHT PUTTING THE BRAI.

Dutchman Verstappen hasn't won since claiming the honours at the Spanish GP back in June, a five-race drought which has put the brakes on his title charge and Red Bull's dominance of F1.

Failing to win at his home GP for the first time in four years last weekend was a further sign of the 26-year-old's slipping grip on the driver's crown.

And the manner in which he finished behind Lando Norris highlighted the problems with his car which led to an expletive-filled rant during qualifying.

Verstappen finished nearly 23 seconds behind Norris as McLaren showed that they had the best set-up on the grid and forced a previously unstoppable driver to accept a humbling defeat after being overtaken on lap 18.