Daijiworld Media Network - Monza
Monza, Sep 6: Max Verstappen delivered a clutch performance in the final moments of Qualifying at the Italian Grand Prix, securing pole position with a stunning lap of 1m 18.792s to edge out the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in one of the season’s tightest sessions.
Returning to Monza after a disappointing showing last year, Red Bull came back with strong form, and Verstappen underlined that by finishing just 0.077s ahead of Norris, while Piastri was a close 0.190s behind in third.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc missed out on a front-row start at his team’s home Grand Prix, qualifying fourth, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who will drop five grid spots due to a pre-event penalty, promoting Leclerc's chances on race day.
Mercedes gambled on an alternate Qualifying approach, starting on medium tyres before switching to softs. The strategy saw George Russell and local hero Kimi Antonelli take sixth and seventh, respectively.
A major surprise came from rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, who continued to impress in his debut season, placing his Kick Sauber in eighth – a highlight for the team under new boss Jonathan Wheatley.
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) rounded out the top ten, giving Red Bull both cars in Q3.
Just outside the final shootout, Ollie Bearman narrowly missed Q3 by 0.01s, qualifying 11th for Haas, continuing his consistent form. His teammate Esteban Ocon managed only 15th, while Nico Hulkenberg slotted into 12th in the second Sauber.
Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, despite showing promise in practice, fell back to 13th and 14th.
Isack Hadjar, who impressed in Zandvoort with a podium, made a costly Q1 error, qualifying 16th, behind Lance Stroll.
In the final rows, Franco Colapinto out-qualified his Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly, who had earlier renewed his contract, while Liam Lawson ended the session last after losing a lap to track limits.
The stage is now set for a high-stakes showdown at Monza, with Verstappen facing a strong dual challenge from the ever-improving McLaren pair.