The Autodromo Nazionale Monza, steeped in racing lore and home to some of Formula 1’s most electrifying moments, set the stage for a dramatic and record-chasing qualifying session on September 6, 2025. As the 16th round of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship unfolded, fans packed the grandstands for the 75th running of the Italian Grand Prix, eager to witness a battle of speed, strategy, and nerves at the Temple of Speed.
The build-up to qualifying hinted at history in the making. During FP3, Lando Norris had already sent a message by clocking a rapid 1:19.331—just a whisper away from Lewis Hamilton’s 2020 record lap of 1:18.887, the fastest ever in terms of average speed at Monza. With the track primed for blistering times, anticipation soared: Could someone topple Hamilton’s benchmark? And how would the grid shake out with championship implications on the line?
All eyes were on the championship protagonists. Oscar Piastri, who had clinched his seventh drivers’ title with a win in the Netherlands and now sat atop the standings with 309 points, was looking to cement his dominance. His McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, trailed by 34 points but was determined to close the gap and bounce back after a DNF at Zandvoort. Max Verstappen, third in the championship, was eager to claw back ground, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ George Russell eyed podium opportunities at their respective home races.
But there was another subplot: Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, carried a five-place grid penalty from the previous Dutch Grand Prix for a yellow flag infringement. No matter how quick he was in qualifying, the best he could hope for was a start from sixth on the grid—adding an extra layer of intrigue to the proceedings.
As the qualifying hour began at 16:00 local time, strategy was already at play. The Mercedes pair of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli opted for medium tyres, diverging from the field’s preferred soft compounds. The first runs saw Ferrari’s Leclerc ignite the Tifosi with a 1:19.801, only for Norris and Piastri to respond in kind, making it a McLaren one-two early on. Russell then jumped to the top with a 1:19.414 on mediums, flexing Mercedes’ alternative approach.
With the tension building, Q1 claimed its first victims. Isack Hadjar, fresh off a maiden podium in the Netherlands, made a costly error in Lesmo 2 and was eliminated in 16th, followed by Lance Stroll, Franco Colapinto, Pierre Gasly, and Liam Lawson. Russell ended the session at the top, ahead of Verstappen, Norris, Tsunoda, and Sainz, with the rest of the field shuffling for position.
Q2 brought its own drama. Norris locked up heavily at Turn 1, forcing him to abandon his first flying lap. "We need to box," came the urgent call from his race engineer, as Verstappen set the pace with a 1:19.140. Norris, under pressure, delivered a clutch lap to vault into the top five, narrowly avoiding elimination. The session also saw Bearman, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Albon, and Ocon bow out, as the top ten prepared for a pole shootout.
Then came the fireworks in Q3. Oscar Piastri led the initial charge for McLaren, before Leclerc briefly seized the top spot for Ferrari. Verstappen, however, stormed to the front with a blistering lap, only for Norris to snatch provisional pole with a 1:18.869. The crowd held its breath—could Norris hold on?
Max Verstappen answered emphatically. In a display of pure commitment, he unleashed a lap of 1:18.792, eclipsing Norris by 0.077 seconds and setting a new Monza lap record. Oscar Piastri slotted into third with a 1:18.982, while Leclerc and Hamilton completed the top five. "I try!" Verstappen exclaimed when asked about his trademark magic, adding, "I think around here with the low downforce, it’s always very difficult to nail the lap – under braking it’s easy to make mistakes also, but Q3 felt good. I was happy with the laps, and of course to be on pole here for us is fantastic. The car’s been working a lot better the whole weekend, and to be able to fight for pole, I’m very happy with that."
Behind the front-runners, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli’s tyre gamble paid off with sixth and seventh, while Gabriel Bortoleto continued Sauber’s resurgence by qualifying eighth. Fernando Alonso and Yuki Tsunoda completed the top ten, with Hamilton’s penalty pushing him down the starting order to tenth. Oliver Bearman, Nico Hulkenberg, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, and Esteban Ocon filled out the midfield, while rookies and veterans alike jostled for every fraction of a second.
The final starting grid for Sunday’s race reflected the high drama of qualifying: Verstappen on pole for Red Bull, Norris and Piastri locking out the next two spots for McLaren, Leclerc leading Ferrari’s charge from fourth, and Russell and Antonelli representing Mercedes in fifth and sixth. Gabriel Bortoleto’s eighth place for Sauber marked a standout performance for the team under new boss Jonathan Wheatley.
In the championship picture, McLaren’s stranglehold on the constructors’ standings remained ironclad. With 584 points, they were a staggering 324 ahead of Ferrari and 336 clear of Mercedes. The drivers’ title was already secured by Piastri, but Norris’ and Verstappen’s ongoing battle for second and third added spice to the weekend.
Fans eager to catch the action had a host of options, with TV coverage across Fox Sports, Kayo, Foxtel, and F1 TV offering live and on-demand viewing in Australia. The race itself was set for a 15:00 local start on Sunday, September 7, promising more high-speed thrills and the ever-present possibility of chaos at Monza.
As the dust settled on qualifying, one thing was clear: the Italian Grand Prix was poised for another unforgettable chapter. With Verstappen’s record lap, Norris and Piastri in hot pursuit, and the Tifosi’s hopes riding on Leclerc, the stage was set for a Sunday showdown that could deliver yet more Monza magic.
