MONZA : In a tense qualifying session at the legendary Pista Magica, Norris briefly looked set for pole after topping the times with his final flying lap. But the Red Bull driver, a four-time world champion, responded with a blistering finish to secure the top spot.
Norris had just leapt to the top of the times after a difficult first run left him seventh, but Verstappen pipped him by 0.077 seconds for his first pole since the British Grand Prix in July.
McLaren’s Australian star and current championship leader Oscar Piastri claimed third on the grid, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took fourth to complete the second row. Lewis Hamilton, who set strong times, ended fifth fastest but will drop five places due to a penalty from a yellow flag infringement in Zandvoort, leaving him to start no higher than sixth.
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The session had already promised to be historic. In FP3, Norris clocked a lap of 1:19.331, coming within half a second of Hamilton’s 2020 Monza pole record, the fastest lap in Formula One history by average speed, at 264.363 km/h.
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