Norris expects Verstappen's fightback from seventh at Italian GP

MONZA, Italy – Lando Norris is gearing up for a potentially intense showdown at the Italian Grand Prix, predicting a rapid resurgence from Max Verstappen, who will start the race from seventh on the grid. McLaren is expected to evaluate team orders before the race, promising a strategic contest.

Norris secured his second consecutive pole position, putting him in prime position to close the substantial 70-point gap between him and championship leader Verstappen.

"For sure, it's a good opportunity," Norris commented regarding his prospects for the race, but tempered his optimism with caution. "I expect him to cut through and be behind us quite quickly. Their race pace looked very strong on Friday; they were on the better side of the [tyre] graining and the degradation."

He elaborated on Red Bull's qualifying performance: "Even his gap to [Sergio] Perez wasn't as big as what it normally is, so I don't know if he struggled more with something or didn't put good enough laps in. It'll be for a reason, I'm sure, and we need to try and make the most of that."

Norris will have McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri starting alongside him, adding an extra layer of intrigue. Their past races, such as Piastri's Hungarian Grand Prix win in July following team orders, hint at possible strategies McLaren might deploy.

When asked if team orders have been confirmed, Norris was lighthearted but clear: "That's our Sunday morning meeting! Little bits have been discussed already, but at the minute, it's free to race like it always is."

Piastri confirmed the ongoing discussions: "Yeah, we've discussed it a bit already and we'll discuss it tomorrow, I'm sure. Yeah. Don't really have any more to add."

However, Verstappen offered a more sobering assessment of his potential to climb back to the front: "Probably not, no. You cannot win when you're too slow," he stated, reflecting on his Friday pace. "The long runs might look good on paper, but it didn't really feel like that personally. The problem is that when you don't have a balanced car, in the race that is quite painful on tyres."

Verstappen remains cautiously hopeful: "Maybe with how the car is at the moment it might be a little bit better for the race. But we're also starting in the back of, let's say, the top group. So, we just have to wait and see what happens in front of us."

Adopting a pragmatic approach, Verstappen concluded: "Naturally. Yeah. As much as we can," emphasizing his intent to gather maximum points despite the setback.

The Italian GP promises excitement as the grid prepares for what is shaping up to be a tactical and thrilling race day.

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