Qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix demonstrated a key tenet of contemporary Formula 1: never discount Max Verstappen.
After having his first run pipped to the post by Lando Norris' second lap of Q3, the Dutchman was already closing out an effort that was even better. His 1m18.792s proved to be the fastest qualifying lap ever set in F1 at an average of 264.682km/h (164.465mph), wresting the honours from Lewis Hamilton's 2020 qualifying effort at the same circuit (although Norris' final effort also moved ahead of Hamilton's benchmark).
