Max Verstappen Warns Fans From Having High Hopes After Shock Italian GP Pole

Max Verstappen insisted that he will not have an easy way to victory despite claiming pole position for the Italian GP.

Max Verstappen Warns Fans From Having High Hopes After Shock Italian GP Pole

Max Verstappen (via Red Bull)

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Max Verstappen has done the unthinkable yet again. The reigning world champion is having a dismal campaign this season due to Red Bull’s car issues. However, the Dutchman managed to put all problems aside to clinch pole at Monza this weekend. Though, Verstappen has now downplayed his chances of winning the Italian GP.

Ahead of the race weekend, no one really expected Max Verstappen and Red Bull to even be in the fight for pole position. The four-time champion’s car simply didn’t have the pace to match the two McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Moreover, Red Bull did not have a special wing for Monza’s high-speed layout either.

Nevertheless the Dutch driver managed to put in an incredible performance in the final qualifying session. This allowed Max Verstappen to steal pole position from the two McLarens. Verstappen’s laptime is claimed to be the fasted in F1 history.

After the session, Verstappen admitted that despite this result, there’s a lot left to understand. The RB21 has a history of falling behind when it comes to race pace. Max Verstappen made it clear that he had no intention of expecting an easy victory on Sunday, hinting that fans should try to keep their hopes low too.

We still need to understand why sometimes in the race it doesn’t translate. I had quite a decent feeling in Zandvoort, but then it was not good in the race. So, I don’t sit here and think tomorrow is going to be fantastic, in terms of how competitive we’re going to be compared to McLaren.

Max Verstappen said post-qualifying

Max Verstappen expects ‘tough battle’ to win Italian GP

The reigning world champion has had a dry patch when it comes to victories with only 2 wins to his name from the start of the season. Now, the pole position could make Max Verstappen the favorite as he gets the chance to fly off into the distance. Though, the Dutchman understands that he will need to fend off McLaren.

Lando Norris and Max Verstappen (via Formula 1)
Lando Norris and Max Verstappen (via Formula 1)

The 27-year-old pointed out that the Monza track layout allowed for some good racing with opportunities for overtaking. Max Verstappen admitted that things will not be simply in the race, hinting that he expects a battle with his rivals. Nevertheless, he recognized that this result was a step forward.

Certainly, Max Verstappen will not back down on Sunday. The reigning world champion is known for being aggressive when it comes to fighting for wins. As such, fans shouldn’t be surprised if Verstappen has some small skirmishes with Norris or Piastri over the course of the race.

Read More: Lando Norris Refutes Claims of ‘Max Verstappen Surprise’ After Dutchman’s Shock Pole at Italian GP