Alpine’s Pierre Gasly secured his first-ever pole position during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix on Saturday. The Formula 1 driver displayed astonishment upon learning via team radio that he had set the fastest time at the end of the session. Gasly, who previously won at Monza in 2020, expressed his excitement, exclaiming, “Let’s go! Been waiting for that one!”
Gasly demonstrated his strength throughout the qualifying session, finishing 0.060 seconds ahead of Mercedes driver George Russell. Reflecting on his achievement, Gasly mentioned, “In the end, it felt like a very good lap, but I am so happy. It has been nine years of trying to chase and secure the opportunity for pole position.” Gasly, a resident of nearby Milan, emphasized the significance of winning his first race at Monza and clinching his first pole position on the same track.
George Russell, along with other drivers, acknowledged their surprise at Gasly’s top position on the timesheets. Russell admitted, “To be totally honest, I don’t think we thought they were in the fight, and it goes to show what a great job he did.”
In a turn of events, Oscar Piastri emerged as the third-fastest qualifier but received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Red Bull’s Liam Lawson in Q2. This penalty propelled Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton up the grid, with the Ferrari duo securing the second row. Hamilton narrowly made it into Q3 during the home race for Ferrari, while Max Verstappen advanced to fifth place. Despite qualifying seventh-fastest, championship leader Kimi Antonelli will start from the back due to an engine change penalty.
Gasly’s teammate, Franco Colapinto, now occupies the seventh spot on the grid. Defending champion Lando Norris, Arvid Lindblad, and Gabriel Bortoleto complete the top 10 lineup. Antonelli, aiming to become F1’s youngest champion, leads the championship standings by 59 points over Russell and Hamilton, with Norris trailing by an additional 24 points after recent wins in Hungary and the Netherlands.
Sunday’s race presents an opportunity for Russell to close the gap on Antonelli, who strategically assisted his teammate during qualifying to secure a slipstream advantage. Russell described qualifying as “scrappy,” noting a close encounter with Verstappen on his final lap. Additionally, Russell mentioned losing to Gasly not only in qualifying but also in a pre-qualifying chess match.
Gasly’s pole position success followed the previous day’s disappointment of losing his only podium finish of the season due to a penalty reinstated by the FIA’s International Court of Appeal. With Monza being a high-speed track conducive to overtaking, Russell and Antonelli stand a chance to challenge Gasly during Sunday’s race. Gasly, when asked about his car’s long-run pace, remained focused on the challenges ahead, stating, “That’s a problem for tomorrow.”