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Provisional grid F1 Italian GP: Verstappen on pole after sprint race!

11 September 2021 at 17:28

GPblog.com

The Monza circuit is certainly not Red Bull Racing's best track, but so far things are going smoothly for the team. Max Verstappen will start from pole position, despite Valtteri Bottas winning the sprint race.

Verstappen and Italy is not a very good combination. Last year the Dutchman didn't even manage to finish a single Italian race. But that may have changed this year. Earlier in 2021, Verstappen already won the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and today the Red Bull Racing driver has also scored a good victory.

Drama for Hamilton

Verstappen had to start from third in the sprint race, after Mercedes had been supreme in qualifying. Lewis Hamilton's start was just dramatic, with the Briton immediately being overtaken by Verstappen and both McLarens. The one who started first and crossed the line first was Valtteri Bottas.

The Finn will not start the Italian Grand Prix from pole position, however, as he has taken a new engine and therefore received a grid penalty. Verstappen will therefore move up one place and will start the race in Italy from the first starting spot. At the moment, the rest of the starting grid looks like this for the Italian Grand Prix.