Verstappen beats Norris and Piastri to Italian GP pole

Max Verstappen of Red Bull dramatically snatched pole position for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, narrowly fending off McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in a thrilling qualifying session. Verstappen's blistering 1m 18.792s lap secured P1 by just 0.077s over Norris, marking a significant turnaround for Red Bull at a circuit where they struggled last season. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth and fifth, though Hamilton faces a grid penalty. Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured sixth and seventh, while rookie Gabriel Bortoleto impressed by taking eighth for Kick Sauber, showcasing his team's upward trajectory.