A Gasly victory at Monza would come at a cost for Jeremy Clarkson

What the French driver achieved in qualifying yesterday was nothing short of a sporting miracle, with Alpine having looked competitive throughout the weekend but with nobody expecting the team to go as far as securing pole position for the Italian Grand Prix.

Gasly denied George Russell, who had appeared certain to take pole, by just 60 thousandths of a second, allowing the Frenchman to celebrate the first pole position of his career at the same circuit where, in 2020, he claimed what remains his first and only Formula 1 victory.

Through his X account, the British presenter sent a direct message to Gasly, promising the entire Alpine team a Hawkstone beer if the Frenchman converts pole position into victory. The reference to Chipping Norton is linked to Clarkson’s home turf in the Cotswolds, where his Diddly Squat Farm is located nearby and where he also runs The Farmer’s Dog pub. Hawkstone, meanwhile, is the beer brand launched by Clarkson using barley grown at his farm.

He then added that the Italian Grand Prix would be shown at The Farmer’s Dog, where an Alpine car would be on display for fans to test their wheel-changing skills, alongside simulators, a live link with pole-sitter Pierre Gasly and Martin Brundle’s team.

Gasly could hardly have scripted a more dramatic Italian Grand Prix weekend. Just days after losing the podium he claimed in Monaco three months earlier, the Alpine driver produced one of the biggest surprises of the season by securing his maiden Formula 1 pole position at Monza. The result also marked Alpine's first pole since 2009 and came at the same circuit where Gasly famously claimed his first and only F1 victory in 2020.

Speaking to GPblog and other media after qualifying, Gasly admitted the result exceeded Alpine's expectations. The team made a significant step forward between FP3 and qualifying, with the Frenchman immediately sensing the potential of the car from Q1. After nine years in Formula 1, Gasly stressed how rare it is to have a genuine opportunity to fight for pole and expressed his pride at making the most of it, adding another memorable achievement to his special history at Monza.