MONZA, Italy (AP) — The Formula One title race just might be back on after all.
Lando Norris surged into pole position in qualifying for Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix as he tries to cut further into Max Verstappen’s championship lead.
McLaren, which is also looking to reduce the gap in the constructors’ standings behind Red Bull, locked out the front of the grid for the race at Monza as Norris finished 0.109 seconds ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri on Saturday.
Moreover, Verstappen will start back in seventh on a circuit where overtaking is tricky. The three-time defending champion has already seen his lead in the drivers’ standings cut to 70 points by Norris, with nine races left.
It was back-to-back poles for Norris, who won from the front of the grid last weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix.
“Another pole which is amazing,” he said. “To have two cars first and second when the field is as tight as it has been all weekend is a surprise, but a nice one. My lap, it hurts me to say, wasn’t a great lap. So a bit surprised at the end but very happy.”
The top six in qualifying on Saturday at the Temple of Speed were separated by less than two tenths of a second.
Mercedes driver George Russell will start third, just ahead of the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
Ferrari had secured pole position for the last two editions of its home race — much to the delight of the passionate, red-clad tifosi. But both were won by Verstappen.
Lewis Hamilton will be sixth on the grid in his last time racing at Monza as a Mercedes driver before his move to Ferrari at the end of the season.
There was then a much bigger gap to the Red Bulls, with Verstappen 0.695 behind Norris and just ahead of teammate Sergio Perez.
Alex Albon and Nicolas Hülkenberg rounded out the top 10.
Williams debutant Franco Colapinto was eliminated in Q1 in his first F1 qualifying session and will start 18th on Sunday.
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