Max Verstappen secured pole position at the Italian Grand Prix, setting the fastest lap in the track’s history. His impressive time of 1:18.792 placed him 0.077 seconds ahead of Lando Norris, who had recovered from a challenging second qualifying round to initially appear set for pole.
Oscar Piastri will start third, trailing Verstappen by 0.190 seconds.
Verstappen expressed mixed feelings about his pole position at Monza, describing it as a significant achievement for Red Bull but acknowledging the challenges ahead. “Around here, with the low downforce, it’s very difficult to nail the lap. Under braking, it’s easy to make mistakes,” he said. He was pleased with his performance in Q3 and noted that the car performed well throughout the weekend.
Despite securing pole, Verstappen remains cautious about the race due to historical difficulties this season. He mentioned making final adjustments before qualifying that allowed him to push harder. “For us, it’s a great moment,” he stated, adding that they would give their all in the race.
Lando Norris managed to secure a front-row start despite facing elimination risks during the second qualifying round. He is currently 34 points behind Piastri in the drivers’ championship and aims to become McLaren’s sixth driver with 10 race victories. Reflecting on his performance, Norris said, “Max has been quick all weekend, and it’s never a surprise with Max.”
Norris acknowledged both positive and negative aspects of his session but was satisfied with his final lap effort. “To put it all together on the last lap, I was pretty happy,” he remarked. Although pleased with P2, he anticipates a tough battle against Verstappen in the race.
Qualifying Results and Grid Positions
The top five qualifiers included Charles Leclerc from Ferrari and George Russell from Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton initially qualified fifth but will start tenth due to a grid penalty. Other notable qualifiers include Kimi Antonelli in sixth and Gabriel Bortoleto in seventh.
Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon from Williams will begin from positions 13th and 14th respectively. Isack Hadjar faced disappointment after failing to progress beyond the first qualifying round, finishing 16th despite earning his first podium at Zandvoort last weekend.
The top ten qualifiers are listed below:
| Position | Driver (Team) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen (Red Bull) |
| 2 | Lando Norris (McLaren) |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri (McLaren) |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) |
| 5 | George Russell (Mercedes) |
| 6 | Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) |
| 7 | Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) |
| 9 | Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) |
| 10 | Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) |
This weekend’s race promises intense competition as drivers aim for victory at Monza’s historic circuit.