Pierre Gasly Takes First F1 Pole at Italian Grand Prix

Pierre Gasly claimed the first pole position of his Formula 1 career on Saturday, leading qualifying for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The Alpine driver finished 0.060 seconds ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, while Oscar Piastri qualified third.

Gasly was told of the result over team radio immediately after the session and reacted with delight. “Let’s go! Been waiting for that one!” he said. The pole adds another major Monza moment for Gasly, whose only Formula 1 race victory also came at the circuit in 2020.

“In the end it felt like a very good lap but I am so happy, it has been nine years, trying to chase and get the opportunity to get pole position,” Gasly said. “To win my first race in Monza, get my first pole position on this track, it is something special around here.”

Gasly leads the way after strong qualifying

Gasly looked competitive throughout the qualifying session before producing the lap that put Alpine at the front of the grid for Sunday’s race. Russell was the closest challenger but fell short by six hundredths of a second, with Piastri taking third in the provisional qualifying order.

Piastri’s position could yet be affected after he was called before the stewards. They are investigating whether he impeded Red Bull driver Liam Lawson during Q2.

Ferrari had a tense session at its home race. Lewis Hamilton made Q3 by only one thousandth of a second, but he is set to start Sunday’s race in fifth, directly behind Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc. Max Verstappen qualified sixth.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli was seventh-fastest in qualifying, but a grid penalty linked to a planned engine change means he will start from the back. Franco Colapinto moves up to seventh, while defending champion Lando Norris, Arvid Lindblad and Gabriel Bortoleto complete the top 10 on the grid.

Championship context and Sunday’s grid

Antonelli arrives at Monza leading the championship by 59 points over Russell and Hamilton. Norris is a further 24 points behind, while Antonelli is seeking to become Formula 1’s youngest champion at the age of 20.

For Gasly, the immediate significance is clear: his first career pole gives him the leading starting position at a circuit already closely associated with his 2020 victory. Russell will line up alongside or near the front depending on the final grid, while Piastri’s steward investigation remains an outstanding issue from qualifying.

The order behind Gasly also contains major adjustments. Antonelli’s engine-change penalty drops the championship leader to the back, elevating Colapinto to seventh and placing Norris, Lindblad and Bortoleto among the final top-10 starters listed after qualifying.

Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix will therefore begin with Gasly at the head of the field after a landmark Saturday for the Alpine driver. His pole lap was enough to beat Russell by the narrowest of margins reported from the session and delivered a first Formula 1 pole nine years into his pursuit of one.