Max Verstappen jumps ahead of McLaren duo and Leclerc at Monza, while Hamilton faces uphill battle.
Verstappen stormed back to pole position at the Italian Grand Prix, his first since Silverstone in July.
The four-time world champion looked right at home on the legendary Monza circuit, leaving both McLarens to settle for second and third. Lando Norris managed to edge out teammate Oscar Piastri in what’s becoming an increasingly tense championship battle.
“Around here, with the low downforce, it’s really tough to nail the lap,” Verstappen said after qualifying. “Under braking, it’s so easy to make mistakes.”
The Red Bull driver couldn’t hide his excitement about returning to form.
“Q3 felt good, happy with the laps, and to be on pole here is fantastic. The car has been working well the whole weekend, and to be able to fight for pole, I’m very happy.”
He revealed some last-minute tweaks made all the difference.
“We were still lacking a tiny amount. We made some final changes, which allowed me to push a bit more, which is exactly what you need in qualifying. For us, it’s a great moment.”
The home crowd’s favorite, Charles Leclerc, secured fourth place – exactly where he qualified last year before pulling off a stunning victory with a clever one-stop strategy that outsmarted Piastri’s McLaren.
Can lightning strike twice for Ferrari?
Lewis Hamilton faces a much tougher challenge. Despite qualifying fifth, he’ll start from tenth due to a five-place grid penalty from last weekend’s race at Zandvoort.
Interestingly, Hamilton chose not to give his teammate a tow during his final qualifying run yesterday.
Who will triumph at Monza?
Will Verstappen convert his pole into victory, or can the McLarens spoil his day? Maybe Ferrari will deliver another magical moment for the passionate Italian fans like they did last year.
We’ll find out when the lights go out at 3:00 PM local time for what promises to be a thrilling Italian Grand Prix.
