Lando Norris Tops Italian Grand Prix Qualifying
Lando Norris led Oscar Piastri to a sensational McLaren one-two finish during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix, while title rival Max Verstappen had to settle for seventh place in his Red Bull.
Norris secured his second consecutive pole position and the fifth of his career, a crucial advantage as he aims to close the 70-point gap to Verstappen in the championship standings. Verstappen’s struggles during the session played right into Norris’s hands.
George Russell claimed third for Mercedes, placing ahead of Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, along with teammate Lewis Hamilton.
In a strategy misstep, Red Bull had Sergio Perez sacrifice his final lap to provide Verstappen with a tow down to Parabolica. However, this maneuver only allowed Verstappen to jump ahead of Perez, as McLarens, Ferraris, and Mercedes proved too far out of reach. The world champions continue to face challenges with their once-dominant car and risk falling behind in the constructors’ title race.
Perez, who had initially outpaced Verstappen on his first lap, faced difficulties after running wide at the second Lesmo corner, ruining his lap before aiding Verstappen.
Norris narrowly edged out Piastri by just 0.035 seconds during the top-10 shootout and improved his lap time on his second attempt, though he expressed dissatisfaction with that run. Ultimately, he secured pole by 0.109 seconds.
“To achieve a one-two with the field being as competitive as it has been all weekend is a pleasant surprise,” Norris commented. “I must admit, my lap wasn’t great. My first run was solid, but I’m still thrilled to be on pole.” He acknowledged the fierce competition ahead, stating, “There are plenty of fast drivers behind me in quick cars, so I’m not expecting an easy race. Many questions remain, but there’s a lot of excitement as well.”
Russell, who was 0.113 seconds off the pole, added, “It turned out slightly better than I anticipated. It was a challenging session. We weren’t far behind the McLarens; they’re incredibly fast right now, so I’m very satisfied with third.” He emphasized the close competition, remarking, “It’s going to be a tight battle, and everyone has been eager for this in F1.”
Verstappen characterized his session as problematic, dealing with a lack of grip throughout and calling his car “shocking.” He now faces a significant challenge in mitigating potential damage from Norris in the race.
Russell’s performance stood out further as he missed much of Friday’s practice due to a crash involving Mercedes’ 2025 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli. As a result, Russell only had half an hour of running time in the second session, but he managed to find his rhythm in Q3, expressing his satisfaction with the result.
Verstappen, Leclerc, and Hamilton Express Disappointment
Championship leader Verstappen is on a quest to end a five-race winless streak.
Leclerc shared his disappointment after qualifying fourth, just 0.134 seconds off the pole, especially since Ferrari had shown decent pace throughout practice. However, Verstappen’s frustrations were far more pronounced.
After being the second quickest behind Hamilton in the second qualifying session, Verstappen faltered in the final session, finishing 0.695 seconds from pole. He voiced confusion about his performance, stating, “Q3 was terrible on both of my tire sets. I experienced significant understeer, preventing me from attacking corners effectively.”
He further elaborated, “In Q2, I recorded a time of 1:19.6, which felt manageable, but entering Q3, the car balance was completely off, and I cannot comprehend how that occurred.”
Hamilton, who was only 0.073 seconds slower than Russell but qualified three places behind, expressed frustration over his ongoing qualifying difficulties this season. “I’m simply not performing well, plain and simple,” he lamented. “I can’t seem to put a lap together, and it’s incredibly frustrating. I’ll keep working on it, as that’s all I can do.”
Finishing behind Perez, Williams’ Alex Albon and Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the top 10, with Hulkenberg narrowly outpacing Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin in Q2 by just 0.01 seconds.
How do you think the upcoming race will play out for Norris and Verstappen?
