06/09/2025
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's qualifying session the air temperature is 26 degrees and the track temperature is 44 degrees. It remains, bright, sunny and hot.
Norris edged out Leclerc by bust 0.021s earlier, while the next three drivers were withing 0.3s.
While one has to see the McLarens as favourites for pole, we cannot take anything for granted.
First off, we've seen a number of mistakes, with almost ever driver going off at some stage, not to mention two brilliant saves by Leclerc earlier.
Then, in tandem with those mistakes, in this session, and again tomorrow, track limits are strictly regulated, which means official punishment for such mistakes.
Finally, there is the issue of traffic, which has always been a problem here, what with drivers seeking to take advantage of the opportunities of a tow.
The warm temperatures will no doubt worry Mercedes, and while Williams looked strong yesterday their form appears to change from session to session.
Ferrari is looking strong, the Maranello outfit further boosted by the partisan crowd, while Max is the threat that he always is.
Add in the increasingly impressive Saubers, the RBS and Astons and one has the perfect recipe for a thrilling session on one of the sport's truly great tracks.
The lights go green and Antonelli leads the way, followed by Ocon, Bearman, Stroll and Gasly.
Among the last out are Leclerc and then Hamilton, the pair cheered by the crowd all around the circuit.
Bearman posts a benchmark 20.799, but this is soon eclipsed by Gasly, Colapinto, Alonso, Bortoleto and Hulkenberg (19.950).
Russell can only split the Saubers, while Sainz has his time deleted after running wide in the second Lesmo.
Leclerc goes top with a 19.801 as Hamilton goes second with a 19.906 and Antonelli fifth.
Tsunoda goes fifth, having been quickest in S2, while his teammate splits the Ferraris with a 19.812.
Norris stops the clock at 19.611 and Piastri 19.711 as Hadjar goes ninth with a 20.126.
"Check the floor," asks Albon after running wide and aborting his lap.
Gasly goes tenth, but is demoted when Alonso goes second with a 19.658, courtesy of his teammate.
Leclerc goes third and Bortoleto fourth, but both are demoted when a 19.644 puts Sainz third.
A 19.414 sees Russell go top as Antonelli reports, 2The balance was OK, but I had no grip".
Incidentally, Russell and Leclerc posted their times on the medium tyre.
Ocon gets the final assault underway and he is not happy about it because he will not be able to get a tow.
Russell is the only driver not coming out for a second run. His teammate heads out on softs.
Bearman improves to sixth and Ocon thirteenth.
Tsunoda goes third, Verstappen second and Antonelli eleventh.
Hadjhar goes fifteenth as his teammate fails to make it through to Q2 having aborted his final run due to understeer.
Piastri goes tenth, Albon fifteenth, Bortoleto seventh and Hulkenberg thirteenth.
Quickest is Russell, ahead of Verstappen, Norris, Tsunoda, Sainz, Alonso, Bortoleto, Bearman, Leclerc and Piastri.
We lose Hadjar, Stroll, Colapinto, Gasly and Lawson.
There's a slight delay to Q2 as gravel is removed from the track.
Eventually Sainz heads out into the sunshine, followed by his Williams teammate.
As they begin their flyers, Sainz and Albon have the track to themselves.
As they reach the Lesmos, Verstappen heads out, ahead of Ocon, Bearman, Russell and Antonelli.
Sainz posts a 20.239 while his teammate, despite the tow, can only manage 21.420 following a mistake in Ascari.
Verstappen crosses the line at 19.140 having benefitted from a tow from Piastri on the back straight.
Russell goes second and Antonelli third, but Leclerc splits them.
"We need to box this lap," Norris is told as Piastri goes third, ahead of Bortoleto, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Antonelli and Hamilton.
Norris had his time deleted for missing the first chicane, hence his team telling him to pit.
Alonso goes tenth.
Sainz can only improve to ninth, while Albon has a major lock-up in Ascari.
Norris is told that it will be "tight for push, cool, cool, push". The Briton posts a 19.451 to go seventh. Next come the two cool laps.
The final assault is in full swing and there are plenty of PBs in the first sector.
Bearman goes seventh, Antonello second, Alonso seventh, Leclerc fifth and Bortoleto sixth.
Hamilton goes eighth, as Albon fails to make the cut.
Norris is getting a tow from his McLaren teammate and then from Bortoleto, finally crossing the line at 19.293 to go fifth.
Verstappen is quickest, ahead of Antonelli, Piastri, Russell, Norris, Leclerc, Bortoleto, Alonso, Hamilton and Tsunoda.
We lose Bearman, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Albon and Ocon.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Monza here.
Norris is first out for Q3, followed by Antonelli, Piastri, Russell, Leclerc and Alonso, with Hamilton just behind.
Piastri is quicker than his teammate in S1 but Leclerc is even quicker.
Norris crosses the line at 19.433 while Antonelli goes second with a 19.717.
Piastri stops the clock at 19.056 but Leclerc responds with a 19.007. Hamilton goes third with a 19.124.
As Verstappen goes quickest with an 18.923, 0.084s up on Leclerc, as Bortoleto goes sixth, Tsunoda ninth and Alonso tenth.
With 3:20 remaining Tsunoda gets the final assault underway. He is followed by Leclerc, Hamilton, Piastri and Norris.
"We've got softs on, right?" asks Russell, the Briton seemingly having wanted mediums.
Piastri goes quickest in S1 while Leclerc is losing time.
Leclerc fails to improve and remains second... until Piastri improves as does Norris and then Verstappen.
Hamilton goes fifth, Russell sixth and Antonelli seventh.
In the McLaren garage the crew was clapping Norris, clearly not expecting Verstappen to out pace him. Never write off the Dutchman.
"Nothing major," says Piastri, "Turn 1 was a bit average but the rest of the lap was tidy.
"It has just been incredibly tight this weekend," he admits, "Max and Red Bull have been quick all weekend. The result is not a big surprise, but I would like to be a little bit further up."
"Max has been quick all weekend," adds Norris. "It was quite a session from me, up and down, so to pull it out on the last lap is a good feeling.
"P2 is not a bad position to be off the line," he insists. "A good position for tomorrow and excited for the race.
"Our race on Sunday is normally our strength but to get past Max will be a big challenge," he admits.
"I think around here with the low downforce, it is always difficult to nail the lap," says Verstappen. "Q3 felt good, I liked the laps and the car has been working better the whole weekend.
"We made some final changes that allowed me to push a bit more, and for us it is a great moment."
Surely nobody - least of all McLaren - saw that coming, then again we're talking Verstappen, no wonder Toto Wolff is stalling on Russell's new deal, the Austrian clearly wanting the four-time champ on board for 2027.
A very entertaining session, and one which sets us up nicely for tomorrow, even if we are almost certainly looking at a one stopper.