Monza Speed Trap: Verstappen Sets Record, But Who Was Fastest Overall?

Max Verstappen achieved the fastest-ever F1 qualifying lap at Monza, the "Temple of Speed," averaging 264.682 km/h. This historic lap surpassed previous records, including Lewis Hamilton's in 2020.\n\n### Why it matters\nVerstappen's record-breaking lap solidifies his dominance and highlights the incredible engineering of modern F1 cars at their absolute limit on motorsport's fastest circuit.\n\n### The big picture\n* Verstappen's Red Bull RB21 demonstrated superior top speed compared to older generation cars, clocking 8 km/h faster than Hamilton's W11.\n* Despite Verstappen's record-setting average speed, his car was only ninth fastest through the speed trap. Sauber's Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto recorded the highest absolute top speeds.\n* McLaren, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, showed lower speed trap figures. This is indicative of their MCL39's high-downforce, high-drag setup, even in a low-downforce configuration tailored for Monza.\n* Ferrari cars were notably fast on the main straight among the front-runners, an asset that could be crucial for Charles Leclerc in the race.\n\n### What's next\n* The Italian Grand Prix on Sunday is expected to be a one-stop race, primarily using medium and hard tires.\n* The first corner will be critical for gaining track position, as whoever leads into the first chicane will have a strong shot at victory.\n* Graining issues, prevalent last year, have not reappeared this weekend. This is possibly due to a more settled track surface and tougher 2025 Pirelli tires designed with greater resistance to graining.\n* A safety car could bring soft tires into play later in the race, offering an alternative strategy.