Max Verstappen delivered a spectacular performance in the closing moments of Italian Grand Prix qualifying, claiming pole position with a remarkable lap that denied Lando Norris at the famous Monza circuit.
The Red Bull driver's time of 1 minute 18.792 seconds edged out the McLaren racer by a mere 0.077 seconds in an intensely competitive session.
Verstappen's achievement was particularly notable as he established a new track record at the historic venue whilst simultaneously recording the quickest lap by average speed in Formula 1's entire history.
The Dutchman's ability to produce such a decisive lap under pressure demonstrated why he remains a formidable competitor in the championship battle.
Max Verstappen recorded the quickest lap by average speed in Formula 1's entire history
|REUTERS
The qualifying hour at Monza produced edge-of-the-seat drama as the decisive Q3 phase unfolded with multiple lead changes.
Verstappen initially set the pace before Norris surged ahead to claim provisional pole position as the session reached its climax.
JUST IN: Luke Littler releases statement after altercation with fan outside hotel
However, the three-time world champion responded with an extraordinary final attempt, producing what Martin Brundle described as "Classic Verstappen" - a driver who "pulls a lap out of the bag, finds some speed and confidence, and commits."
The Sky Sports F1 commentator added: "He has absolutely stolen that pole position away from the McLarens."
Max Verstappen finished ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
|REUTERS
Norris had earlier faced a scare, barely escaping elimination in Q2 before recovering to mount his ultimately unsuccessful pole challenge.
Championship leader Oscar Piastri secured third place, 0.190 seconds behind his victorious team-mate, maintaining his 34-point advantage over Norris with nine races left in the season.
The Scuderia's home aspirations were dashed as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton failed to improve during their final Q3 attempts, settling for fourth and fifth positions respectively.
Hamilton faces additional disappointment as a five-place grid penalty for insufficient speed reduction under yellow flags at the previous Dutch Grand Prix drops him to tenth on the starting grid.
George Russell claimed sixth for Mercedes, whilst Kimi Antonelli impressed with seventh place following recent struggles.
Gabriel Bortoleto delivered an outstanding performance to secure eighth for Kick Sauber, with Fernando Alonso ninth and Yuki Tsunoda rounding out the top ten.
**SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY GB NEWS SPORTS NEWSLETTER HERE**
Max Verstappen surged ahead of Lando Norris after the McLaren driver initially hit him back
|REUTERS
The Haas team narrowly missed Q3 participation, with Ollie Bearman falling short by a hundredth of a second in eleventh place, whilst Nico Hulkenberg struggled to match Bortoleto's impressive pace at Kick Sauber, finishing twelfth.
Williams failed to capitalise on promising Friday practice sessions, with Carlos Sainz thirteenth and Alex Albon fourteenth, separated by Esteban Ocon's Haas.
LATEST SPORT NEWS:
"To be on pole here for us is fantastic!"
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) September 6, 2025
Max Verstappen is 'very happy' to be on pole for the Italian Grand Prix 🤩 pic.twitter.com/tIgD2xgAUa
Fresh from his breakthrough podium at Zandvoort, Isack Hadjar endured a challenging afternoon, making an error on his final Q1 attempt that resulted in his first career elimination at that stage.
The Racing Bulls driver will start from the pit lane following a power unit change, compounding his sixteenth-place qualifying result.