Verstappen claims pole at Monza with record lap

Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza with a lap time of 1:18.792, the fastest in Formula One history, surpassing Lewis Hamilton's previous record at the circuit.

By Christopher Devlin1 min read

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Max Verstappen claimed pole position for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza with a lap time of 1:18.792. This marked the fastest Formula One lap recorded at the circuit, breaking Lewis Hamilton's previous record of 1:18.887 set in 2020.

Verstappen outpaced McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to claim the top spot. The Red Bull driver secured his fifth pole of the season, a result that came after a turbulent 12 months for the team.

The lap time surpassed Hamilton's record at Monza, which had stood since 2020. Verstappen's performance followed a period of underperformance for Red Bull, including a difficult 2024 Italian GP where he qualified seventh.