Verstappen: For us it's a great moment

Verstappen set a 1:18.792 in Qualifying Q3, the fastest ever lap around the Temple of Speed, edging out McLaren and Ferrari in one of the tightest qualifying sessions of the 2025 season. Less than eight-tenths separated the top ten runners.

Afterwards, the Red Bull ace said: “Around here with the low downforce, it’s very difficult to nail the lap. Under braking, it’s easy to make mistakes. Q3 felt good, happy with the laps, and to be on pole here is fantastic. The car has been working well here the whole weekend, and to be able to fight for pole, I’m very happy.”

Verstappen revealed that small adjustments before qualifying gave him the edge he needed over McLaren and Ferrari: “We were still lacking a tiny amount going into qualifying, we made some final changes which allowed me to push a bit more, which is exactly what you need in qualifying. For us it’s a great moment.”

While Red Bull’s one-lap pace was enough to secure pole, Verstappen admitted that race performance has not been as straightforward this season. “Historically, this season the race has always been more complicated for us, but we’ll give it everything we have. That’s all we can do, and we will see what happens.”

2016 Formula 1 World Champion turned Sky F1 pundit Nico Rosberg, was impressed: Nico Rosberg on Max Verstappen's pole lap: “We know he is one of the five greatest F1 drivers of all time. Drives like today just prove that. It’s unbelievable what he’s able to do.

“I don’t think the car was worthy to be on pole position in that way but he just pulled out the magic in the last moment. And especially in the last moment when the pressure is the highest, that is when he delivered phenomenally perfect laps," declared Rosberg.

Last year, Red Bull struggled here at Monza, but Verstappen has won the Italian Grand Prix at the venue twice (2022 and 2023) and knows his way to the top step of the podium at the hallowed venue.