Carlos Sainz and Ferrari on pole at Monza, fans in frenzy

Carlos Sainz and Ferrari on pole at Monza, fans in frenzy

Amid the jubilation of the fans, Carlos Sainz took pole position at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza just 13 thousandths ahead of world champion and world leader with Red Bull Max Verstappen, third at 67 thousandths Charles Leclerc with the other Ferrari. Both Maranello drivers allegedly failed to meet the maximum time of 1’41”000 on the exit lap from the pits during Q1 but race management did not consider putting them under investigation.

In Q1 è Verstappen the best despite having his first fast lap cancelled for track limits violation at the second Lesmo corner, but behind him was Albon, third è Leclerc. Left out are Guanyu Zhou in the Alfa Romeo-Sauber, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon in the Alpine, Kevin Magnussen in the Haas and Lance Stroll in the Aston Martin.

In Q2 he burns by 40 and 54 thousandths the Reds of Leclerc and Sainz, who with the new power units are very fast, eliminated with the AlphaTauri Yuki Tsunoda and a good Liam Lawson, the replacement for Daniel Ricciardo, who passed Q1 for the first time on the second attempt, also out Nico Hulkenberg with the Haas, Valtteri Bottas with the Alfa Romeo-Sauber and Logan Sargeant with the Williams.

Very exciting Q3 finale with Sainz taking that è the fourth pole of his career, his first of the season and the third for Ferrari ahead of Verstappen and Leclerc. Fourth place for George Russel with the Mercedes, fifth Sergio Perez with the second Red Bull, sixth an amazing Alexander Albon with a Willias in continuous growth, seventh and ninth the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, in between them, eighth, Lewis Hamilton with the Mercedes, tenth Fernando Alonso with the Aston Martin.