Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix Prediction: Lando Norris on pole position in Monza!

Formula 1 returned after the summer break with last week's Dutch Grand Prix, which significantly changed the impression of the teams' current form at the top of the standings. The next test is quite different from the twisty Zandvoort. In front of drivers and cars is the temple of speed - Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Last Sunday, the grandstands around the Zandvoort track were painted orange as expected. Of course, in honor of the Dutch hero Max Verstappen, he suffered his first defeat on home soil in Formula 1. However, in his orange McLaren, Lando Norris celebrated a significant and convincing victory. It was Norris' second career win, but it was extremely convincing and brought about quite a change in public perception when it came to the balance of power between Red Bull and McLaren. Verstappen has not been in the situation he is in for a very long time, without knowing a victory for five races in a row, and also, he has not experienced such a convincing defeat for a very long time. He crossed the finish line 22 seconds after the McLaren driver.

Lando Norris secured his fourth pole position this season with two laps that were enough for him to get the best starting position ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, while Max Verstappen will only start seventh. Norris' first Q3 lap was good enough for pole position, but the British driver improved his time by another seven hundredths to secure pole position for Sunday's race. Piastri was second fastest, a tenth behind Norris, and Russell secured third place for Mercedes in the final lap, just 0.004s behind Piastri. Ferrari drivers did not repeat last year's first and third place in qualifying as Leclerc and Sainz finished fourth and fifth, and Hamilton was only sixth fastest after two first places in practice, although he was only 0.07 slower than Russell. Verstappen complained about the grip in Q3 and was only eighth after the first laps, and after the second lap, he managed to overtake teammate Perez and take seventh place. Perez finished eighth ahead of Albon in the Williams and Hulkenberg in the Haas.

As many as eleven drivers took new drive units for the fastest track in the calendar, and for all of them, it is the fourth and last permitted copy that they can use without penalty. Mercedes, McLaren, Aston Martin drivers, Colapinto in Williams, Haas, and Sauber drivers got new 1.6-liter V6 engines, turbochargers, MGU-H and MGU-K, and Haas and Sauber drivers also got new exhaust systems. This makes Sainz the only Ferrari driver who is still on the third power unit, while the Red Bull drivers Verstappen and Perez, Gasly (Alpine), and Tsunoda (RB) are on the fifth engine.

Both McLaren drivers are in good form, and McLaren showed that their cars are currently best. Mercedes and Ferrari also can be very satisfied with their performances, while Red Bull are in big trouble, and maybe their and Verstappen’s title chances are questionable. This circuit is home of Ferrari, the fans around the circuit will be Ferrari, so I expect a better performance by both Ferrari drivers, and Leclerc to finish in the top 3.