Norris and Piastri in McLaren front-row sweep at Monza
Lando Norris roared to his second successive pole position, and third in four races, in a McLaren front row sweep with teammate Oscar Piastri in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix.
George Russell will line up third for Mercedes and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz qualified fourth and fifth on Saturday for the team’s home race with an upgraded car.
Red Bull’s Formula One leader Max Verstappen qualified only seventh, one place behind Mercedes’ seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, who had been fastest in final practice.
Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo will start 12th in the Red Bull in Monza, where he won in 2021.
Verstappen leads Norris by 70 points with nine races remaining but the Briton could take a chunk out of that on Sunday.
“Another pole which is amazing,” said Norris, who also qualified fastest in the Netherlands before winning last Sunday.
His time of one minute 19.327 seconds, on a sunny afternoon in the former royal park near Milan, was 0.109 quicker than Piastri’s best effort
“To have two cars, first and second, when the field has been as tight as it has been this weekend, is surprising,” added Norris.
“It hurts me to say it, but my lap was not a great lap. However, it was still good enough for pole, so I was surprised, but happy.”
Norris was fastest in the first phase of qualifying and secured provisional pole in the top 10 shootout before improving on it with his second flying lap.
Hamilton had been top in the second phase with Verstappen second and Norris third.
Sunday’s race at the ‘Temple of Speed’ near Milan could be a tight battle between the top four teams.
McLaren are only 30 points behind champions and leaders Red Bull, who had Sergio Perez qualify eighth, and could make significant inroads in that constructors’ battle.
Hamilton was unhappy, chiding himself for a missed opportunity at a circuit where he has won a record-equalling five times.
“I am furious, absolutely furious. I could have been on pole, at least on the front row. I just didn’t do the job,” said the Ferrari-bound Briton.
Alex Albon qualified ninth for Williams and Nico Hulkenberg completed the top 10 for Haas.
Formula One’s Argentine newcomer Franco Colapinto, replacing Logan Sargeant at Williams, qualified 18th and ahead of both Saubers.
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