Carlos Sainz delivered an outstanding display in the Italian Grand Prix qualifying, continuing his strong form shown during free practice at Monza. The Spaniard, marking a milestone just as he celebrated his 29th birthday, secured Ferrari’s first pole position of the season in front of the passionate home crowd. It was a moment that underscored Sainz’s consistency and speed on a track that rewards precision and timing beneath the scorching Italian sun.
Sainz narrowly edged out the reigning champion Max Verstappen by a razor-thin margin of 0.000 seconds, with Charles Leclerc just 0.067 seconds behind in a nail-biting session that kept the tifosi on the edge of their seats. Fernando Alonso rounded out the top ten, offering a reminder of the competitive depth across the grid. Looking ahead to Sunday, Monza promises a race full of action, with the championship leader nestled between two Ferrari drivers keen to break their own streaks and claim a first win of the year.
Italian GP. Grill output:
1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 1’20″294
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1’20″307
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1’20″361
4. George Russell (Mercedes) 1’20″671
5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 1’20″688
6. Alexander Albon (Williams) 1’20″760
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 1’20″785
8. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1’20″820
9. Lando Norris (McLaren) 1’20″979
10. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 1’21″417
11. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) 1’21″594
12. Liam Lawson (AlphaTauri) 1’21″758
13. Nico Hülkenberg (Haas) 1’21″776
14. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) 1’21″940
15. Logan Sargeant (Williams) 1’21″944
16. Gyanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) 1’22″390
17. Pierre Gasly (Alp) 1’22″545
18. Esteban Ocon (Alp) 1’22″548
19. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 1’22″592
20. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) 1’22″860