DPA
Monza (Italy)
Lando Norris followed up on his resounding victory in the Netherlands with pole position for the Italian Formula One Grand Prix to put more pressure on season leader Max Verstappen.
Norris clocked 1 minute 1:19.327 seconds on the 5.793-kilometres Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Saturday’s qualifying for his second pole in a row and fifth overall.
Oscar Piastri made sure of a McLaren first row on Sunday, placing ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, and Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes.
Verstappen managed no better than seventh, almost seven-tenth back, as Red Bull’s struggles continued, with Sergio Perez eighth.
Verstappen has won the last two Monza grands prix but enters the latest edition on a winless run of five races.
He was beaten by Norris at his home Dutch GP last weekend by more than 20 seconds which reduced his championship lead to 70 points.
Red Bull are also under pressure on the constructors’ front where McLaren are only 30 points back.
Norris delight "Another pole is amazing. To have first and second when the field has been so tight is surprising,” Norris said. "It hurts me to say it but my lap wasn’t great but I am very, very happy.”
But he warned that victory on Sunday is now a forgone conclusion: "I am not expecting an easy race - there are some unknown things with the tyres and degradation - but I am looking forward to it.”
Red Bull struggle with balance Red Bull were in damage limitation mood as they struggled with balance problems and Verstappen said that things are also not looking encouragig for Sunday.
"The long runs were not very promising. When you are not balanced, everything becomes difficult in the race,” he told Sky TV.
"The car is very difficult to drive and find a good balance. If you have one issue and try to fix that, then there is another issue. It’s not very driveable, let’s put it like that.
"I lost a lot of lap time, I couldn’t really push the tyres, so struggling a lot with that for a reason I can’t understand.
Team principal Christian Horner agreed that "something is clearly not working on the car.
"We need to address it quickly as McLaren have made a significant step over the last few races and we are now behind Ferrari and Mercedes as well,” he said.
Hamilton furious
An "absolutely furious” Lewis Hamilton described his performance in qualifying "completely unacceptable”.
Hamilton, fastest in two of the three practice sessions this weekend, believed he was a contender for pole position at Monza but said he only had himself to blame after limping to sixth.
"I am furious, furious, absolutely furious,” said Hamilton. "I was expecting to do a better job than I did. I could have been on pole or at least on the front row but I just didn’t do the job.
"It was absolutely ridiculous from my side and completely unacceptable. I have no-one to blame but myself.”
Franco Colapinto meanwhile qualified 18th for Williams after replacing luckless Logan Sargeant for the rest of the season.