Written by Maria Fashchevskaya
Lando Norris speeds to pole again, a tenth ahead of his teammate Oscar Piastri, gifting a one-two start in the race for McLaren. The Red Bulls have struggled throughout the weekend, as Max Verstappen has qualified only in seventh place.
Lando Norris sped to pole ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri in front of the tifosi crowd. Both home heroes in red, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, will start from P4 and P5, as George Russell cut in between the Papaya and the Tifosi to secure the third position for the race grid.
Lewis Hamilton could not match his teammate's pace in his last stint, however, outqualified both Red Bulls in sixth place. Max Verstappen seemed to have no grip on his tyres, as he only grabbed onto P7, ahead of Sergio Pérez in P8. Alex Albon and Nico Hulkenberg have made it into Q3 and qualified in ninth and tenth place, respectively.
It was already surprising, as both Haas' drivers had a rather good qualifying. In the third Free Practice, Kevin Magnussen was told to stop the car after the chequered flag had fallen, in a rather urgent voice. His car was recovered, and the American team have opted to change his gearbox. It was still unknown if it would sacrifice his qualifying. Moreover, Red Bull were off the pace in the practice round Saturday morning, having understeer issues. Both drivers struggled in that round, but would it compromise their qualifying?
An important fact here: The track in Monza has unique characteristics that getting a tow from a car in front down the long straight can be worth some time – it could make a huge difference in qualifying. No one will want to punch a hole in the air for the other drivers behind.
A driver to certainly look at was Franco Colapinto, who replaced Logan Sargeant at Williams with immediate effect after the Dutch Grand Prix. The Argentina will drive for the team till the end of the season before Carlos Sainz steps up, starting in 2025. It is still a question, if the British team has gambled a bit with their decision to take their junior driver from F2 directly to F1, as Colapinto has no certain future at the F1 team. Read here, how the qualifying unfolded for him and the rest of the grid:
Q1
As the first part of qualifying unfolded, the tifosi cheered for their home team, Ferrari, to be one of the firsts to take on the track. The first run around this track has always been a warm-up for the soft tyres. As the Ferrari drivers started their timed laps, Carlos Sainz had a first purple sector, driving in front of Charles Leclerc. The Spaniard aborted his lap almost immediately, as he had dipped into the gravel, coming out of a corner. His teammate finished his lap with a 1:20.074s on the clock.
Both Haas' and Alpines finished their first laps with more than half a second each away from Leclerc's temporary time. The other drivers were already on their flying laps at that moment, too. Verstappen finished his timed lap around two tenths behind the Monégasque, as Norris usurped both and topped the board, with a 1:19.911s.
With ten minutes to go, six drivers had not put out a time yet. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz started his second try around the circuit in Monza. Although he had – again – a first purple sector, he only reached P3 for now. With six minutes to go, at risk were Franco Colapinto, Yuki Tsunoda, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Pérez and Guanyu Zhou. In 15th place, also at risk, was Daniel Ricciardo. Most drivers dove into the boxes at this point, to gather themselves and put on new soft tyres.
As the Red Bull had struggled at Free Practices that weekend, Sergio Pérez could not improve his time, sitting low in P18. Alexander Albon was on a flying lap to improve his time, as he could be at risk of elimination at that moment. He finished his flying lap to go up to P8, for now. Then we saw an unsafe release by McLaren of Oscar Piastri in the pit lane: This could cost the team and the Australian positions on the race grid. The stewards would investigate that after the session.
Thus, drivers went out again for a final timed lap around the circuit, with less than a minute to go in Q1. A brief yellow flag was waved in sector three at this point but cleared right away. Replays showed Williams' rookie Colapinto dip into the gravel, ending his rather good-looking qualifying with a shunt.
The chequered flag was waved, as multiple drivers finished their last tries for a better time in Q1. Daniel Ricciardo tried to improve his time and successfully pushed through to Q2, as other drivers below him did not manage to get a better time. Also Pérez managed to come through to Q2 in a last minute stint.
The new Williams driver stayed in the elimination zone after his dip into the gravel, placing in 18th position for tomorrow, ahead of the struggling Kick Sauber duo. Out of qualifying were Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll, too, as the Japanese was outqualified by his teammate for the first time in a while.
Knocked out: Tsunoda, Stroll, Colapinto, Bottas and Zhou.
Q2
The start of the second part of qualifying was delayed, as marshals were clearing the track of sand and gravel in the third sector. As Q2 started, the Ferraris were the firsts to drive out of the pit lane. As Sainz and Leclerc finished their flying laps, they knocked in a 1:20.328s and 1:20:296s, respectively, with the Monégasque having a better time around the track while the Spaniard clearly towed him here.
With ten minutes to go, Max Verstappen finished his first try at the track, usurping both Ferraris and topping the board. His joy did not live long, as the McLarens were hot on his rear wing and soared the Dutchman, with Lando Norris taking the lead, for now.
The two Mercedes drivers, and Alexander Albon and Fernando Alonso, did not set a time at that moment yet. However, just then Albon improved to eighth, but could that give him the opportunity to drive in Q3? Mercedes' drivers were on their flying laps, too, as Hamilton sped to P1, being towed by Russell and finishing his lap 0.086s in front of Norris. Now the question was: Could he get his next pole around Monza, in his last time here as Mercedes driver?
Fernando Alonso set a time, too, but was still at risk of elimination in P11. In the elimination zone were Magnussen, Gasly, Ocon and Ricciardo, too, still with five minutes to go. After a stop in the pits, the drivers went out for a new try around the track, except for the drivers at the top of the time board.
Ricciardo finished his flying lap, but only improved to 11th, and was out of qualifying, as the chequered flag was about to be waved. Kevin Magnussen was on a timed lap, too, but could not qualify higher than Ricciardo, while his teammate Nico Hulkenberg held up to stepping up to Q3. Fernando Alonso finished his flying lap, pushing Ricciardo to P12, but was still out of qualifying there. Both Alpines could not improve, either.
Knocked out: Alonso, Ricciardo, Magnussen, Gasly and Ocon.
Q3
As the last part of qualifying unfolded, the drivers lined up to knock in their timed laps around the Temple of Speed in Monza. The next unsafe release happened just then, between the Ferrari of Sainz and the Red Bull of Verstappen. The stewards noted the incident, but let it slide without consequences later on.
With nine minutes to go, the first drivers started their flying laps around the Italian track. Oscar Piastri was the first to cross the line, with a 1:19.436s. Just then, Lando Norris usurped his teammate. Max Verstappen crossed the line, and went only to P5 in his first flying lap in Q3! Even Sergio Pérez had a better timed lap around the track than the Dutchman at that moment. On team radio, Verstappen complained about having no grip. Hulkenberg and Albon were on P9 and P10, respectively, for now.
The next to finish their flying laps were Carlos Sainz, lining up behind Leclerc, in P4. And the Mercedes who usurped the Red Bulls and Ferraris, as Russell and Hamilton sped to P3 and P4, respectively. All the drivers went into the pits for fresh tyres ahead of the final stint in Q3. Then, with three minutes to go, all the drivers were out on track again, to knock in a second timed lap in Monza's qualifying.
Max Verstappen was the first to start his final run around the track – in the shoot-out. As the chequered flag was waved, the Dutchman was a mile from a better time, and finished qualifying in P7. Both McLarens were on flying laps, as Norris had a good first second sector. Could he improve his own best time? Yes! He grabbed pole position in Monza, ahead of his teammate, as Piastri secured a one-two start for the Papayas in tomorrow's race.
The tifosi went wild for a second, as Charles Leclerc sped to P3. However, the Monégasque was usurped by George Russell, who used a tow by the Red Bulls to secure a podium start. Carlos Sainz lined up behind the two drivers, and ahead of Lewis Hamilton, as the Brit made a mistake in his last run in Q3. Thus, it left him in P6 for the race tomorrow.
Max Verstappen would have a difficult start in the race tomorrow from seventh place, as he would line up ahead of Sergio Pérez, Alex Albon and Nico Hulkenberg, respectively.
Who will win the 2024 Pirelli Gran Premio D'Italia? Let’s watch and see tomorrow at 2 p.m. BST (3 p.m. track time).
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