Max Verstappen hadn’t exactly expected to secure pole position for the Italian Grand Prix, but he had secretly hoped for it. “This is fantastic, we were able to push even more due to some last-minute adjustments,” he said.
The Dutchman was visibly ecstatic after the qualifying round in which he outpaced all his rivals. “I had a good feeling in Q3, and I’m also very pleased with our laps then. The car has felt good all weekend, but you know that a qualifying round is always extra exciting.”
With title contenders Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri behind him in the theoretically faster McLaren, the Grand Prix victory in Monza promises to be a thrilling battle. Perhaps the Dutchman can even benefit from the fact that the Brit and the Australian are primarily watching each other with the World Championship standings in mind.
“However, races have sometimes been a bit difficult for us this season,” Verstappen tempered expectations after securing pole in Italy, realistic as he is. “But we just have to make sure we give everything, then we’ll see what it yields.”
