Max Verstappen has secured pole position for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, setting a new Formula 1 lap record in the process. The reigning four-time champion drove a stunning lap in 1 minute and 18.792 seconds, beating Lando Norris by just 0.077 seconds. The win gives Verstappen a crucial advantage as he looks to close the gap on McLaren, who have been dominating the championship.
The qualifying session was a tightly contested affair, with Verstappen snatching pole in the final seconds of Q3 after Norris had briefly taken the top spot. Verstappen’s blistering lap, which had an average speed of 164.466 mph, also beat the previous lap record set by Lewis Hamilton at Monza in 2020. The Red Bull driver expressed his satisfaction, stating, "Q3 felt good, liked the laps and the car has been working better the whole weekend. We made some final changes that allowed me to push a bit more, and for us it is a great moment.”
McLaren showed immense pace and will line up right behind Verstappen, with Lando Norris starting in second and championship leader Oscar Piastri in third. Norris, who was just 0.113 seconds behind his teammate, was happy with the result. "Max has been quick all weekend. It was quite a session from me, up and down, so to pull it out on the last lap is a good feeling. P2 is not a bad position to be off the line. A good position for tomorrow and excited for the race," he said.
The Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton will start in fourth and fifth, respectively, after a challenging qualifying session at their home race. Hamilton, in his first season with the Scuderia, faces an additional hurdle as he will start in 10th due to a five-place grid penalty. His teammate Kimi Antonelli will start in seventh, giving Mercedes a solid position on the grid.
The qualifying session also saw some surprising exits, with French drivers Pierre Gasly and Isack Hadjar failing to make it out of Q1. Hadjar, in particular, will be disappointed after his first-ever Q1 exit, especially after he secured a podium finish just last weekend. The stage is now set for an exciting race on Sunday, where the dry and warm conditions are expected to create a fierce battle for the top spot.
