Just a week ago, Lando Norris was left heartbroken at Zandvoort, sitting on a sand dune after an oil leak destroyed his race.
That setback dropped him 34 points behind Oscar Piastri in the championship fight, leaving his title hopes hanging by a thread. But Monza brought a much-needed lift.
At the Italian Grand Prix qualifying, Norris managed to outpace his McLaren teammate Piastri, a small but vital win in their head-to-head battle.
Even though Max Verstappen’s brilliance secured pole position, Norris found encouragement by grabbing second place, just 0.077 seconds behind the Dutchman.
A Rocky Road Through Qualifying
It wasn’t smooth sailing for Norris.
During Q2, he locked up under braking at the Variante del Rettifilo, wasting precious time and putting his spot in Q3 at risk.
He had to dig deep and deliver on his final lap, scraping through in sixth.
Relief swept through his garage, though his performance hardly inspired confidence heading into the final showdown.
Once Q3 arrived, Verstappen immediately stamped his authority, topping the early timesheets.
Norris initially trailed in seventh, while Piastri was comfortably ahead in third.
But on the last run, Norris clawed his way back, improving enough to claim second.
It wasn’t pole, but it was proof of his resilience.
Ferrari’s Cheers and Hamilton’s Pain
Ferrari fans had their moment when Charles Leclerc briefly led the session, drawing huge roars around Monza.
Ultimately, he settled for fourth, while George Russell edged into fifth.
Lewis Hamilton, however, faced frustration.
Despite climbing to fifth in Q3, his five-place penalty from Holland means he’ll start only 10th.
For his first Italian Grand Prix in Ferrari red, that’s a bitter pill to swallow.
Verstappen Back on Top
Verstappen’s pole at Monza was his first since Silverstone back in July, and it came through sheer personal brilliance.
While his teammate Yuki Tsunoda could only manage 10th, Verstappen was on another level.
His flying lap set a new track record of 1:18.792, with an astonishing average speed of 264.682 km/h.
The reigning champion once again reminded the world why he’s in a league of his own.
Mixed Fortunes for the Grid
Elsewhere, Kimi Antonelli impressed on home soil, qualifying sixth, just behind Russell.
Ollie Bearman put in a strong performance for Haas, taking 11th and outpacing his teammate Esteban Ocon by four spots.
Alex Albon was 14th for Williams, while Carlos Sainz, racing here last year for Ferrari, slipped down to 13th in his new chapter.
Meanwhile, it was a weekend to forget for young Isack Hadjar.
Fresh off his first podium in Zandvoort, he tumbled out in Q1 and will start only 16th.
Liam Lawson fared even worse, ending up at the back of the grid in 20th.
Looking Ahead
For Norris, second place at Monza may not sound like much when Verstappen is still ahead, but it’s exactly the spark he needed to stay in the fight.
With Piastri trailing him this time, the balance in McLaren’s internal battle has shifted slightly.
The Italian Grand Prix now promises plenty of drama—not just for the title race, but also for the pride of the drivers who fought tooth and nail in qualifying.