McLaren Faces Fierce Challenge from Leclerc, Verstappen at Monza

Lando Norris led Free Practice 2 at Monza, but McLaren should be wary of the strong pace from Ferrari and Red Bull as qualifying looms. The Italian Grand Prix's opening day made it clear McLaren won't have an easy path.

Why it matters:

Despite Norris's fastest lap, margins were razor-thin. Charles Leclerc's Ferrari was just 0.083s behind, with Carlos Sainz also within a tenth. Max Verstappen, P6, was only a couple of tenths off, signaling a fierce fight for pole.

The details:

• McLaren's Setup: Friday data suggests McLaren's MCL39 ran with more downforce.
  • Norris and Oscar Piastri recorded the lowest speed trap speeds at 337 kph. Stake drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto topped at 348 kph.
• Sector Performance:
  • Leclerc was quickest in Sector 1.
  • Norris dominated Sector 2 (chicane, Lesmo sweeps), gaining significant time.
  • In the flat-out Sector 3, Norris was only marginally faster than Ferrari (0.010s) and a tenth ahead of Verstappen.
  • Verstappen consistently held the third-fastest pace among the leading trio, always close behind.

What's next:

Varying sector strengths point to a complex qualifying. McLaren's higher downforce might aid technical sections but could hinder them on Monza's long straights, leaving them vulnerable to Ferrari and Red Bull's pure speed. The pole battle will be intensely close.