Max Verstappen Leads 2025 Italian Grand Prix Starting Grid at Monza

Max Verstappen secured his fifth pole position of the 2025 Formula 1 season for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, leading the field on Sunday with Lando Norris joining him on the front row. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton will have strong local support, starting fourth and tenth respectively, although Hamilton faces a five-place grid penalty from the previous race. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will start fifth and sixth, with Russell noting a miscommunication over tire strategy affected their qualifying performance. Lando Norris expressed satisfaction with his second-place start, acknowledging Verstappen's pace, while Oscar Piastri remains confident despite a third-place start in a tightly contested session. The teams anticipate an exciting race at Monza, with many strategic factors likely to influence the outcome given the closely matched competition and the circuit's low downforce and overtaking challenges.