MONZA, ITALY — In a stunning qualifying performance on Saturday, Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Italian Grand Prix, delivering the fastest lap in Formula One history. The record-breaking run gives the reigning world champion a critical chance to strike a blow against the dominant McLaren team, who have won 12 of this year’s 15 Grands Prix.
The Dutchman will start on the front row alongside McLaren’s Lando Norris, who edged out his teammate and championship leader, Oscar Piastri.
A Record-Breaking Performance
Verstappen dominated the session, snatching back the top spot in the final seconds of Q3 with an astonishing lap time of one minute and 18.792 seconds. The lap was 0.095 seconds faster than the previous benchmark set by Lewis Hamilton at the same track in 2020. Verstappen finished 0.077 seconds ahead of Norris, who also managed to beat Hamilton’s record, and 0.190 seconds ahead of Piastri.
While Verstappen trails Piastri by a significant 104 points in the drivers’ standings, starting on the front row provides a crucial opportunity. However, he will face an ominous prospect on Sunday with both McLaren cars immediately behind him, a challenge given the British team’s overwhelming success this season. Norris’s second-place finish came after a dramatic Q2 where he narrowly avoided elimination, clinching a spot in the top 10 on his final lap.
The Grid and Key Storylines
The qualifying session set up several key narratives for Sunday’s race. The Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth and fifth, respectively, giving the home crowd some hope. However, Hamilton faces a five-place grid penalty, adding to a difficult first season with the Scuderia, where the seven-time champion has yet to secure a podium finish and sits 200 points behind Piastri.
Another home hope, 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli, was seventh fastest but will start sixth due to Hamilton’s penalty, giving the young driver a chance to reverse a recent run of poor form. He will start one place behind his Mercedes teammate, George Russell.
Meanwhile, rookie Isaac Hadjar will start from the pitlane due to a power unit change, making it unlikely he will repeat his podium finish from the previous weekend. France’s Pierre Gasly will start from the ninth row after failing to make it past a tight Q1, where less than a second separated all 20 cars.
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