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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff punched the team’s monitor in fury after George Russell lost pole position for the Italian Grand Prix. Russell was held pole position after the drivers’ first runs in Q3 but fell to second on the grid behind Pierre Gasly when the drivers completed their final runs.After the session Wolff said “we got done over by Max in the final run when preparing.” As Russell’s team mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli will serve a grid penalty for a power unit change this weekend, Mercedes arranged for Antonelli to run a short distance ahead of his team mate to give him a ‘tow’. However Verstappen disrupted this on their final runs. The McLaren drivers led the field out of the pits at the end of Q3. Verstappen followed them both out with the two Mercedes behind him. However immediately after leaving the pits Verstappen went across the run-off at turn one. “Tyres are extremely cold somehow,” he told his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase. As the gap between Verstappen and the McLarens grew, Verstappen told Lambiase: “I’m not going to catch up to them.” Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and On the straight approaching the final corner, Parabolica, Verstappen slowed down significantly and pulled to the inside of the track. As Antonelli drew up alongside on the left of the Red Bull, Verstappen moved back onto the racing line. This forced Antonelli to slow down and brought Russell onto his tail. Russell’s run through the first sector was compromised and his time through there was slower than his previous effort. “It didn’t go to plan,” said Wolff afterwards. “I think Max was very clever there. “He just slowed it down, made Kimi and George bunch up. So throughout the lap, George was much too close to Max to do a proper lap and that cost us both.” Wolff suggested the team should have chosen “another guy to follow than Max.” Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies apologised to Verstappen at the end of the session after he qualified sixth. “It’s frustrating but much improved compared to yesterday.” Verstappen, who complained about his car performance degrading during the session, said: “It’s bad, this car is made out of paper, it just loses two tenths already just in ride.” This article will be updated Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and 2026 Italian Grand Prix - How “clever” Verstappen spoiled Russell’s bid for pole in qualifying at Monza - Gasly takes surprise Monza pole ahead of Russell, Piastri and the Ferraris - 2026 Italian Grand Prix grid - Verstappen told Red Bull his car has “less power than a Fiat Punto” in practice - Russell fastest ahead of scrapping Hamilton and Verstappen in final practice