BREAKING: 2026 Italian GP Starting Grid After Late Penalties and Disqualification on… See Details

2026 Italian GP Starting Grid After Late Penalties and Disqualification on… See Details

Pierre Gasly produced one of the biggest surprises of the Italian Grand Prix weekend by securing pole position at Monza after a thrilling qualifying session.

 

The Alpine driver delivered a remarkable final lap to claim the top spot and earn the first pole position of his Formula 1 career. The achievement is particularly significant at Monza, a circuit that holds special memories for Gasly after he claimed his maiden and only F1 victory there in 2020.

 

Gasly had shown impressive pace throughout qualifying, topping the timesheets in Q1 before continuing to remain competitive through the later stages. His Alpine team-mate Franco Colapinto also impressed, eventually securing eighth on the grid.

 

The Frenchman’s decisive Q3 lap was enough to put him 0.060 seconds ahead of Mercedes driver George Russell, who will start alongside him on the front row. Oscar Piastri will begin Sunday’s race from third, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc taking fourth.

 

Lewis Hamilton will line up fifth for Ferrari, just ahead of reigning champion Max Verstappen in sixth. Kimi Antonelli originally recorded the seventh-fastest time, while Colapinto finished eighth.

 

Lando Norris, who has won the previous two races, endured a disappointing qualifying session. The McLaren driver could only manage the ninth-fastest time, but he will start eighth after Antonelli’s grid penalty is applied. The Mercedes driver is carrying a 30-place grid penalty, meaning Norris moves up one position.

 

Arvid Lindblad completed the top 10 for Racing Bulls.

 

Several notable drivers failed to make it through to Q3. Gabriel Bortoleto qualified 11th for Audi, followed by Haas driver Ollie Bearman in 12th. Nico Hulkenberg was 13th, while Liam Lawson and Carlos Sainz completed the remaining Q2 eliminations in 14th and 15th respectively. Esteban Ocon finished 16th.

 

The Q1 session proved particularly difficult for several experienced drivers. Yuki Tsunoda was 17th, followed by Alex Albon in 18th. Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez occupied 19th and 20th for Cadillac, while Aston Martin suffered another difficult session, with Fernando Alonso 21st and Lance Stroll 22nd.

 

The result highlighted the struggles faced by Aston Martin and Honda at Monza, where engine performance and straight-line speed are particularly important.

 

This year’s qualifying format also contains some changes. With the F1 grid now expanded to 22 cars, six drivers are eliminated at the end of both Q1 and Q2 rather than five. That still leaves 10 drivers competing in the final pole-position shootout.

 

Another adjustment concerns Q3 itself. The final qualifying segment has been extended by one minute and now lasts 13 minutes instead of the previous 12.

 

Gasly’s stunning performance therefore sets up an intriguing Italian Grand Prix, with Russell, Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton and Verstappen all starting within striking distance of the Alpine driver.