In a surprising turn of events, Lando Norris of McLaren clinched pole position in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix, setting the stage for a potentially exciting race on Sunday. With Max Verstappen of Red Bull starting in seventh place, Norris has a chance to close the gap in the drivers’ standings, which currently stands at 70 points. McLaren, looking to reduce the deficit in the constructors’ standings, took the top two spots on the grid with Norris leading teammate Oscar Piastri.
The tight competition saw the top six drivers in qualifying separated by less than two-tenths of a second, indicating an intense battle to come on race day. George Russell of Mercedes will start in third place, followed by the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
Verstappen, who has not won a race in five attempts, is facing a challenging race ahead as he looks to defend his championship lead against a determined Norris. Lewis Hamilton, in his final race at Monza as a Mercedes driver before his move to Ferrari, will start in sixth place.
Fans can catch all the action on Sunday at 9 a.m. EDT on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, or can choose to live stream the race on various platforms including ESPN+, fubo TV, Sling TV, and DirecTV Stream. As anticipation builds for the Italian Grand Prix, the stage is set for an exciting battle between Norris and Verstappen for the Formula 1 title.
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