Max Verstappen Edges Out Norris for Italian Grand Prix Pole

Verstappen snatches pole from Norris

Max Verstappen's dominant performance at Monza earns him pole position, but McLaren's Norris and Piastri are still in contention for the win.

Max Verstappen took the top spot on the grid for the Italian Grand Prix, completing his final lap in 1 minute and 18.792 seconds...

Max Verstappen stunned the Formula 1 paddock by securing pole position for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, edging out Lando Norris by less than a tenth of a second. The reigning world champion produced a breathtaking final lap, clocking in at 1:18.792 and breaking the track record. This marks Verstappen's 45th career pole and his first since the British Grand Prix in July.

As the reigning world champion, Verstappen is determined to slow down McLaren's dominance at Monza. With his new lap record, he has given himself a great chance of achieving this goal. Starting alongside Norris, Verstappen will be looking to outmaneuver the McLaren drivers and minimize damage to his championship lead. Verstappen's impressive performance has given him an edge, but he faces a challenging task holding off the McLarens in the race.

MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES POLE FOR THE ITALIAN GRAND PRIX 🇮🇹👊#F1 #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/GHmXXI3f5m

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 6, 2025

Max Verstappen took the top spot on the grid for the Italian Grand Prix, completing his final lap in 1 minute and 18.792 seconds. This blistering lap not only earned him pole position but also broke the track record at Monza. Lando Norris came in second, just 0.077 seconds behind Verstappen, while Oscar Piastri secured third place, 0.190 seconds off Verstappen's pace.

Lando Norris had a nail-biting qualification session, barely making it to the top 10. He was 11th place until his final lap in Q2, which propelled him forward just in the nick of time. With Piastri leading him by 34 points in the drivers' standings, Norris will be looking to capitalize on his strong qualifying performance to close the gap.

Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth and fifth, respectively. However, Hamilton's grid position will be demoted by five places due to a penalty. This setback adds to the challenges Hamilton has faced during his first season with Scuderia Ferrari, making it tough for him to find joy behind the wheel.

Kimi Antonelli will start 15th in the Monaco Grand Prix, following a challenging qualifying session where he crashed at the Nouvelle Chicane. The 18-year-old Italian driver lost control of his Mercedes W16, damaging the front left tire and hitting the barrier. Despite the setback, Antonelli acknowledged the need to reset and come back stronger after a tough recent run.

George Russell's qualifying session was also disappointing, with his Mercedes breaking down in Q2 due to a suspected electrical issue triggered by hitting a bump. He couldn't set a time and started 14th, sparking frustration and anger over traffic that compromised his fast lap.

French drivers Pierre Gasly and Isack Hadjar faced challenges in qualifying. Initially, it seemed Hadjar struggled to get past Q1, but he actually performed well, securing sixth place. However, due to Lewis Hamilton's penalty, Hadjar's starting position improved to fifth. Meanwhile, Gasly was eliminated in Q1 and started 17th, while Franco Colapinto, another French driver, started 18th.

Pierre Gasly has extended his contract with Alpine until 2028 and will start from the back row of the grid alongside Liam Lawson. This challenging starting position will require Gasly to navigate through the pack and capitalize on opportunities to score points for Alpine.

Another record for Max 🤩

Verstappen takes his 45th pole for Red Bull overtaking Sebastian Vettel's tally#F1 #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/UuC0gmheXK

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 6, 2025

Isack Hadjar's chances of repeating his impressive performance from the Dutch Grand Prix seem slim after securing only 16th spot on the grid. The 20-year-old F1 rookie had a remarkable run at Zandvoort, qualifying fourth and impressing with his driving skills. However, his starting position for this race will make it tough for him to achieve a similar result. Hadjar had a strong qualifying session at Zandvoort, putting in his best lap of the year and gaining valuable experience starting from the second row alongside Max Verstappen.

Starting Grid

The starting grid for the Italian Grand Prix is set, with Oscar Piastri joining Verstappen in the top three. The grid order is as follows:

Top 5:

• 1st: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• 2nd: Lando Norris (McLaren)
• 3rd: Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
• 4th: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
• 5th: George Russell (Mercedes)

Other notable starts include Lewis Hamilton, who will start ninth due to a grid penalty.