Verstappen snatches Monza pole from Norris

Grand Prix in Italy

Date: 7 September Race start time: 14:00 BST on Sunday

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen snatched pole position for the Grand Prix in Italy from McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Verstappen edged Norris by 0.077 seconds for his first pole since the British Grand Prix in July, making it just as Norris had just jumped to the top of the charts.

Oscar Piastri of McLaren was third fastest, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, who were 34 points ahead of Norris in their championship match.

However, the seven-time champion will start the grand prix at Monza 10th with a five-place penalty.

That places George Russell from Mercedes in fifth place, ahead of Kimi Antonelli, Gabriel Bortoleto, Fernando Alonso from Sauber, Yuki Tsunoda from Red Bull, and Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin.

Even the Dutchman’s own pole time was surprised by Verstappen’s pole time, who had struggled to maintain his pace throughout the practice sessions.