Ferrari Pole Shot 'On The Cards' As Norris Sees Threats To McLaren

Lando Norris admitted McLaren's rivals were "just a bit close for my liking" at Monza, indicating F1's recent dominant force faces a tougher challenge from multiple teams, including home favourites Ferrari, at the Italian Grand Prix.

Why it matters

McLaren's strong form might be less pronounced at high-speed, low-downforce tracks like Monza, potentially allowing rivals, particularly Ferrari at their home race, to close the gap and challenge for pole.

The details

• Norris topped Friday's second practice at Monza, but McLaren's advantage was minimal compared to Zandvoort.
• Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and an impressively fast Carlos Sainz (Williams) were within 0.1s of Norris.
• Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), and Max Verstappen (Red Bull) were all within 0.2s, with the top 10 within 0.4s.
• Norris noted, "Normally by this point we have like a one-second gap... but at the moment it's just a bit close for my liking." He explained McLaren performs less effectively in low-downforce conditions.
• Piastri expressed surprise at the field's closeness, highlighting Williams' unexpected pace.

Ferrari's prospects

• Ferrari showed strong pace, with Hamilton leading Leclerc in Practice One.
• Hamilton, despite a five-place grid penalty for Sunday, remains optimistic. He learned from setup changes between P1 and P2.
• Leclerc, Monza's 2024 winner, called the SF-25 "tricky but fast" and believes pole is "on the cards," though he suspects McLaren and Red Bull have more to show.
• The team aims to capitalize on its home track advantage, despite Hamilton's grid penalty.