Sainz will start ahead of Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) in Sunday’s race after the one-hour qualifying session on Friday, which is split into three segments with five cars each being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 before the top-10 shootout of Q3.
Italian Grand Prix grid: Sainz on pole from Verstappen
| Cla | Nº | Driver | Car / Engine | Time | Delay |
| 1 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Ferrari | 1'20.294 | |
| 2 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull/Honda RBPT | 1'20.307 | 0.013 |
| 3 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1'20.361 | 0.067 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1'20.671 | 0.377 |
| 5 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull/Honda RBPT | 1'20.688 | 0.394 |
| 6 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams/Mercedes | 1'20.760 | 0.466 |
| 7 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren/Mercedes | 1'20.785 | 0.491 |
| 8 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1'20.820 | 0.526 |
| 9 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren/Mercedes | 1'20.979 | 0.685 |
| 10 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin/Mercedes | 1'21.417 | 1.123 |
| 11 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT | 1'21.594 | 1.300 |
| 12 | 40 | Liam Lawson | AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT | 1'21.758 | 1.464 |
| 13 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas/Ferrari | 1'21.776 | 1.482 |
| 14 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo/Ferrari | 1'21.940 | 1.646 |
| 15 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams/Mercedes | 1'21.944 | 1.650 |
| 16 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo/Ferrari | 1'22.390 | 2.096 |
| 17 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine/Renault | 1'22.545 | 2.251 |
| 18 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine/Renault | 1'22.548 | 2.254 |
| 19 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas/Ferrari | 1'22.592 | 2.298 |
| 20 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin/Mercedes | 1'22.860 | 2.566 |
What happened in Italian Grand Prix Q1?
As per the alternative tyre allocation rules, this session was run on the hard rubber. After having a lap time deleted for exceeding track limits, Verstappen set the quickest time of 1m21.573s.
Both Ferraris were pinged for not adhering to the minimum lap times in this session, and faced a stewards inquiry that decided no further action.
Falling at the first hurdle were Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo), the Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon (who suffered a trip through the gravel at Ascari), Kevin Magnussen (Haas) and Lance Stroll (Aston Martin).
Italian Grand Prix Q1 results: Verstappen fastest from Albon
| Cla | Nº | Driver | Car / Engine | Time | Delay | Laps |
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull/Honda RBPT | 1'21.573 | 9 | |
| 2 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams/Mercedes | 1'21.661 | 0.088 | 9 |
| 3 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1'21.788 | 0.215 | 9 |
| 4 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT | 1'21.852 | 0.279 | 9 |
| 5 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull/Honda RBPT | 1'21.911 | 0.338 | 9 |
| 6 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams/Mercedes | 1'21.930 | 0.357 | 9 |
| 7 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Ferrari | 1'21.965 | 0.392 | 9 |
| 8 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1'21.977 | 0.404 | 9 |
| 9 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren/Mercedes | 1'21.995 | 0.422 | 9 |
| 10 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin/Mercedes | 1'22.043 | 0.470 | 8 |
| 11 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren/Mercedes | 1'22.106 | 0.533 | 10 |
| 12 | 40 | Liam Lawson | AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT | 1'22.112 | 0.539 | 9 |
| 13 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1'22.148 | 0.575 | 9 |
| 14 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo/Ferrari | 1'22.249 | 0.676 | 8 |
| 15 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas/Ferrari | 1'22.343 | 0.770 | 10 |
| 16 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo/Ferrari | 1'22.390 | 0.817 | 8 |
| 17 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine/Renault | 1'22.545 | 0.972 | 7 |
| 18 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine/Renault | 1'22.548 | 0.975 | 8 |
| 19 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas/Ferrari | 1'22.592 | 1.019 | 8 |
| 20 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin/Mercedes | 1'22.860 | 1.287 | 9 |
What happened in Italian Grand Prix Q2?
On medium tyres, Sainz set the early pace at 1m20.991s, 0.044s ahead of Verstappen.
Leclerc beat that with 1m20.977s on his final run but Verstappen then topped both Ferraris with a last-gasp 1m20.937s to deny a Ferrari 1-2 by 0.04s.
Knocked out at this point were the AlphaTauris of Yuki Tsunoda (who failed to progress by just 0.013s) and Liam Lawson, Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) and Logan Sargeant (Williams).
Italian Grand Prix Q2 results: Leclerc fastest from Sainz
| Cla | Nº | Driver | Car / Engine | Time | Delay | Laps |
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull/Honda RBPT | 1'20.937 | 6 | |
| 2 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1'20.977 | 0.040 | 6 |
| 3 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Ferrari | 1'20.991 | 0.054 | 5 |
| 4 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull/Honda RBPT | 1'21.240 | 0.303 | 6 |
| 5 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams/Mercedes | 1'21.272 | 0.335 | 6 |
| 6 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1'21.369 | 0.432 | 6 |
| 7 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1'21.382 | 0.445 | 6 |
| 8 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren/Mercedes | 1'21.527 | 0.590 | 8 |
| 9 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin/Mercedes | 1'21.543 | 0.606 | 5 |
| 10 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren/Mercedes | 1'21.581 | 0.644 | 8 |
| 11 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT | 1'21.594 | 0.657 | 6 |
| 12 | 40 | Liam Lawson | AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT | 1'21.758 | 0.821 | 6 |
| 13 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas/Ferrari | 1'21.776 | 0.839 | 6 |
| 14 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo/Ferrari | 1'21.940 | 1.003 | 6 |
| 15 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams/Mercedes | 1'21.944 | 1.007 | 6 |
What happened in Italian Grand Prix Q3?
On soft tyres, Ferrari took an early 1-2 with Sainz setting the pace at 1m20.532s, 0.032s ahead of Leclerc. Verstappen was only third after running wide on the exit of Roggia, which cost him a vital tenth.
Pole changed hands three times in the final seconds as Leclerc produced 1m20.361s, which was beaten by Verstappen’s 1m20.307s and then Sainz unleashed 1m20.294s, taking the top spot by 0.013s.
George Russell will start fourth for Mercedes, ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, Alex Albon (Williams), Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Lando Norris (McLaren) and Fernando Alonso (Aston).
Italian Grand Prix Q3 results: Sainz takes pole
| Cla | Nº | Driver | Car / Engine | Time | Delay | Laps |
| 1 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Ferrari | 1'20.294 | 6 | |
| 2 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull/Honda RBPT | 1'20.307 | 0.013 | 6 |
| 3 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1'20.361 | 0.067 | 6 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1'20.671 | 0.377 | 6 |
| 5 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull/Honda RBPT | 1'20.688 | 0.394 | 6 |
| 6 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams/Mercedes | 1'20.760 | 0.466 | 6 |
| 7 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren/Mercedes | 1'20.785 | 0.491 | 6 |
| 8 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1'20.820 | 0.526 | 6 |
| 9 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren/Mercedes | 1'20.979 | 0.685 | 6 |
| 10 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin/Mercedes | 1'21.417 | 1.123 | 6 |
