Overview

• Max Verstappen’s 1:18.792 in Q3 set the fastest qualifying lap in F1 history, edging Lando Norris by 0.077s with Oscar Piastri third.
• McLaren’s speed in corners was offset by deficits on Monza’s long straights and with minimal wing, according to team boss Andrea Stella.
• Norris survived Q2 only after a tow from team‑mate Piastri and then briefly held P1 before Verstappen reclaimed pole.
• Charles Leclerc lines up fourth for Ferrari, while Lewis Hamilton drops from fifth to 10th on the grid because of a five‑place penalty from Zandvoort.
• The long run to the Prima Variante, a muted DRS effect and likely one‑stop strategies point to a track‑position battle, with Red Bull upbeat yet Verstappen cautious about race pace.