Verstappen takes pole for Italian GP ahead of title contenders Norris and Piastri

MONZA, Italy (AP) – Max Verstappen stunned title contenders Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on Saturday by snatching pole position for the Italian Grand Prix – only the second time the four-time Formula 1 champion has done so at Monza.

Verstappen set a new lap record in the final part of qualifying for Sunday’s race and Norris couldn’t quite match it, ending up .077 of a second behind the Red Bull driver, with Piastri 0.190 off the pace.

“Yes guys, yes. That is unbelievable,” Verstappen yelled over the team radio. “Relax here, it is all good!”

Charles Leclerc qualified in fourth for Ferrari at the Italian Scuderia’s home race, just ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton, who will start Sunday’s race in 10th as he serves a five-place grid penalty.

Leclerc had briefly topped the standings early in Q3 to loud cheers from the Ferrari fans – matched by groans from the passionate red-clad tifosi when Verstappen went faster, moments later.

Verstappen has been on pole position 44 times but just once at the Temple of Speed, where he has triumphed twice.

“It was tight, we were still lacking a tiny amount and we made some final changes which I think allowed me to push a bit more and that’s exactly what you need in qualifying,” Verstappen said. “For us, it’s a great moment.

“Historically this season the race has always been a little bit more complicated for us, but we are going to give it everything we have. That’s the only thing we can do and then we will see what happens tomorrow.”

It is a 45th pole position for Verstappen and a fifth this season, although only one of his two wins this year has come from the front of the grid.

He will be joined on the front row on Sunday by Norris, who trails Piastri by 34 points in the championship with nine races left of the season.

“Max has been quick all weekend and it’s never a surprise with Max,” Norris said. “It was quite a session from me, up and down and too many mistakes here and there. But to put it together on the last lap, I was pretty happy with P2.”

Norris almost didn’t make it out of Q2 as an early mistake meant he had to change tires and he needed a tow from Piastri to get out of danger and go through in fifth place.