Sainz gives Ferrari hope after pipping Verstappen to pole

Carlos Sainz is gunning to end dominant Max Verstappen’s record run of Formula One wins after delighting Ferrari’s passionate army of home fans on Saturday by claiming pole position for the Italian Grand Prix.
Spaniard Sainz will start at the front of the grid for the first time this season after pipping by 0.013 seconds reigning world champion Verstappen who is hunting a historic 10th straight victory.
Charles Leclerc in the other Ferrari took third to start from the second row alongside the Mercedes of George Russell on a great day for Ferrari in front of a typically colourful sea of support.
Sainz trails Verstappen by a whopping 237 points in the drivers’ championship and is yet to claim a podium finish this season.
But the 29-year-old shone in Saturday’s qualifying after already showing his speed by topping the times in two practice sessions, and celebrated snatching the fourth pole of his career in the final moments with the jubilant crowd.
“It’s just amazing you know, the whole weekend really. Since we arrived here on Wednesday the support and the feeling with the crowd and the energy they put into us is incredible,” Sainz told reporters. Ferrari were also boosted by governing body FIA deciding not to pursue disciplinary action on Leclerc and Sainz for breaches to lap time limits imposed on Saturday morning in order to cut down track congestion. That decision came moments after Sainz beat Verstappen to the top of the grid on a day which will give Ferrari hope of their first win of the season at the iconic Temple of Speed.
“We’ve got the motivation and the energy to do it. The car has been very good all weekend, especially over one lap,” added Sainz.
Dutchman Verstappen still has a great chance to break the record of nine straight GP wins he shares with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel after winning a dramatic race on home soil in Zandvoort last weekend.
Verstappen has won 11 of the 13 races so far this year and leads Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, who is the only other driver to win this season and finished 0.394sec back in fifth, by 138 points in the drivers’ standings.
The Grid
Front row
Carlos Sainz (ESP/Ferrari)
Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull)
2nd row
Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari)
George Russell (GBR/Mercedes)
3rd row
Sergio Perez (MEX/Red Bull)
Alexander Albon (THA/Williams-Mercedes)
4th row
Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes)
Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes)
5th row
Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes)
Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes)
6th row
Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)
Liam Lawson (NZL/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)
7th row
Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Haas-Ferrari)
Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari)
8th row
Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams-Mercedes)
Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari)
9th row
Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine-Renault)
Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault)
10th row
Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari)
Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes)