MONZA.- The Formula 1 title fight appears to be back on. Lando Norris He took pole position on the grid in qualifying on Saturday for the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, when he will try to close the gap at the top of the drivers’ standings with Max Verstappen.
McLaren, also looking to reduce Red Bull’s lead in the constructors’ standings, claimed the front row of the grid for the race at Monza after Norris finished 0.109 seconds behind teammate Oscar Piastri.
Verstappen, meanwhile, will start seventh at a circuit where overtaking is difficult. The three-time defending F1 champion has already seen Norris cut his lead at the top of the standings to 70 points with nine races remaining on the calendar.
With this, Norris has taken pole position in consecutive races after winning from first position last weekend at the Dutch GP.
“Another pole, which is incredible,” he said. “To have two cars in first and second when everything has been as close as this weekend is a surprise, but a nice one. My lap, it pains me to say, was not very good. So it was a surprise, but I am happy.”
The top six in Saturday’s qualifying at the Temple of Speed were separated by less than two-tenths of a second.
Mercedes’ George Russell will start third ahead of the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
Ferrari has confirmed pole position in the past two editions of its home race – much to the delight of the passionate Tifosi fans. But Verstappen won both races.
Other pilots of interest
Lewis Hamilton will start sixth in his final race at Monza with Mercedes before switching to Ferrari after the season.
But Red Bull have fallen well behind. Verstappen is 0.695 seconds behind Norris and slightly ahead of his teammate, Mexican Sergio Perez.
Argentine Franco Colapinto, who has just made his debut with Williams, was eliminated in Q1 in his first qualifying session and will start 18th on Sunday.
