Italian Grand Prix: McLaren Drivers React to Unexpected Competition
Monza, Italy – In a surprising twist at the Italian Grand Prix, McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were taken aback by the performance of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who secured pole position during qualifying—a significant turnaround for the team following last season’s struggles.
Verstappen clocked the fastest times in both Q3 sessions, achieving his fourth pole of the year and his second since Saudi Arabia. Piastri, qualifying third, initially anticipated Ferrari as the primary rival: “I thought maybe Ferrari would be closer, but that’s based on last year,” he stated. He acknowledged the competition’s tighter margins this season, noting, “When the competition’s got close, Max has typically been the one to excel.”
Norris, who qualified second, echoed Piastri’s sentiments, indicating that Verstappen’s rise should not come as a major shock: “Even when we’ve been competitive, Max has consistently found ways to challenge us,” he explained, adding that qualifying gaps have been minimal across the season.
Both drivers expressed optimism about McLaren’s race pace, which historically has been a strength. “We expect our race pace to be better than our qualifying pace,” Norris remarked. However, he recognized Red Bull’s substantial improvements: “We probably didn’t expect Red Bull to be quite as good… Their race pace was good on Friday, similar to ours.”
As the teams prepare for race day, McLaren appears poised to capitalize on their strong performance but acknowledges that the newly competitive Red Bull represents a significant challenge.
