Gasly takes surprise Monza pole as penalties reshape Italian Grand Prix grid
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly beat George Russell by 0.060 seconds, while penalties will move Oscar Piastri to sixth and send Kimi Antonelli to the back.
Pierre Gasly has taken pole position for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, delivering Alpine an unexpected front-row result ahead of Mercedes driver George Russell.
Gasly set a time of 1:21.786 to beat Russell by 0.060 seconds. Oscar Piastri initially qualified third for McLaren, but a three-place penalty for impeding Liam Lawson will move him to sixth. Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will consequently move up the order.
Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli qualified seventh but will start at the back after receiving a 30-place, engine-related grid penalty. The sanction gives Russell an opportunity to reduce Antonelli’s championship advantage, although the final race grid remains subject to official confirmation.
Lando Norris qualified ninth after Piastri’s incident at the first chicane compromised his final run. Norris lost time without a slipstream, while Ferrari’s Leclerc and Hamilton could not match the pace expected from their new engine in the final session.
Gasly’s pole follows Alpine’s major upgrade at the previous race in the Netherlands. The team has also switched from Renault to Mercedes power units after ending its engine programme, as it seeks to recover from a difficult 2025 season.
The result has particular significance for Gasly, whose only Formula 1 victory came at Monza in 2020. Speaking after qualifying, he said he had spent nine years pursuing pole position. His performance also came a day after the FIA Court of Appeal reinstated penalties that had removed his third place from the Monaco Grand Prix.
