Pierre Gasly has taken a shock pole position for the
Italian Grand Prix, the first of his career at the scene of where he took his one and only victory back in 2020. Gasly's quickest lap time in Q3 was enough to edge out
George Russell and Oscar Piastri.
Russell was quickest after the first runs with just 0.075 seconds separating him, Oscar Piastri, Pierre Gasly and
Charles Leclerc.
Gasly, who had been quick through the opening two sessions, then took a shock pole with a time of 1:21.786, 0.060 seconds clear of Russell. Charles Leclerc and
Lewis Hamilton will line up in P4 and P5, with
Max Verstappen,
Kimi Antonelli, Franco Colapinto,
Lando Norris and Arvid Lindblad completing the top ten.
It comes as a huge positive for Alpine after
Gasly lost his Monaco Grand Prix podium following the latest decision made by the FIA International Court of Appeal.
Gasly was also quickest in Q1 from Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad. Alex Albon helped his teammate Carlos Sainz into Q2 but was eliminated himself, along with Yuki Tsunoda, the two Cadillacs and two Aston Martins.
Q2 saw Kimi Antonelli lead the way from Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris but the story of the second part of qualifying was the two Ferraris who only made it through in P9 and P10. Hamilton, in tenth, made it through by just 0.001 seconds over the Audi of Gabriel Bortoleto. Bortoleto crashed out of the session along with Oliver Bearman, Nico Hulkenberg, Liam Lawson, Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon.
Lawson felt like he had been "hung out to dry" by his team after helping Verstappen on two laps with the tow, before having his final lap compromised by Piastri who had just come out of the pits.
Full Italian Grand Prix qualifying results
Italian Grand Prix Results
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time |
|---|
| | AlpineALP | - | 1:21.786 |
| | MercedesMER | - | 1:21.846 |
| | McLarenMCL | - | 1:21.966 |
| | FerrariFER | - | 1:22.004 |
| | FerrariFER | - | 1:22.011 |
| | Red Bull RacingRBR | - | 1:22.070 |
| | MercedesMER | - | 1:21.882 |
| | AlpineALP | - | 1:22.220 |
| | McLarenMCL | - | 1:22.067 |
| | Racing BullsRCB | - | 1:22.286 |
| | AudiAUD | - | 1:22.517 |
| | HaasHAA | - | 1:22.756 |
| | AudiAUD | - | 1:22.779 |
| | Racing BullsRCB | - | 1:22.821 |
| | WilliamsWIL | - | 1:23.453 |
| | HaasHAA | - | 1:23.454 |
| | Aston MartinAST | - | 1:23.755 |
| | WilliamsWIL | - | 1:24.356 |
| | CadillacCAD | - | 1:24.364 |
| | CadillacCAD | - | 1:24.595 |
| | Aston MartinAST | - | 1:25.150 |
| | Aston MartinAST | - | 1:25.222 |