Max Verstappen claims Mercedes faster after Italian Grand Prix pole
6th September 2025Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has claimed Mercedes’ 2020 title-winning car would still be faster after the Dutchman snatched pole position for the Italian Grand Prix.
Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool
The defending world champion, Verstappen, snatched pole position at the Italian Grand Prix after he and McLaren’s Lando Norris tussled for the grid’s top spot in the final runs of Q3.
In the end, the Dutchman won out, pipping the Briton by 0.077 seconds to put in a lap time of 1m 18.792 seconds. He will start Sunday’s Grand Prix ahead of both McLaren drivers, with Norris and Oscar Piastri completing the top three.
Despite winning pole position in qualifying, both Verstappen and Norris hold the fastest qualifying laps in Formula 1’s 75-year history, with the former holding the record at the Italian circuit, Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
Verstappen beat Norris’ record with an average speed 264.682 kph at the circuit, beating Norris’ lap (second fastest of all time) by 0.259kph.
Upon reflection of the new record, during the FIA post-qualifying press conference, Verstappen quipped that the all-conquering Mercedes W11 would still be faster at the venue. He said:
“Honestly, I didn’t even think about that when I crossed the line, but it’s nice. It didn’t feel too bad. The cars have been fun. Also, the new tarmac helps around here, kerbing – like the kerbs opened up a little bit.
“I think the 2020 Mercedes is still quicker if you would put it on the track now, but it’s been good. At some tracks it’s more fun than others.”
The previous fastest lap record, on average speed, was previously held by Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes W11, in 2020, having pipped then-teammate Valtteri Bottas by 0.231kph at that year’s Italian Grand Prix.
Verstappen’s new record now puts him 0.319kph faster than the previous record, with Norris filling the gap in between the four-time world champion and the seven-time world champion.
According to the number crunchers at StatsF1.com, the 50-fastest laps have all originated at the circuit’s rightfully adequate nickname: the Temple of Speed.
Read more Formula 1 here:
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- F1 extend Monaco Grand Prix contract until 2035
- Lewis Hamilton leads opening practice at Italian Grand Prix
- McLaren confirm FP1 rookie ahead of Italian Grand Prix
- McLaren identify Lando Norris issue ahead of Italian Grand Prix
- Italian Grand Prix: The latest weather report
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
