Pierre Gasly produced one of the biggest qualifying surprises of the 2026 Formula 1 season at Monza, taking his first career pole position for Alpine ahead of the Italian Grand Prix. The Frenchman set a 1:21.786 lap in Q3, beating Mercedes driver George Russell by just 0.060 seconds.
The result completed a dramatic turnaround for Gasly, who missed FP1 while Alpine gave rookie Paul Aron track time and then finished only 14th in Friday’s second practice session.
Gasly Turns a Quiet Friday Into Pole Position
Mercedes entered qualifying looking particularly strong after Russell topped FP2 with a 1:22.559, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and teammate Kimi Antonelli.
Gasly found much more performance when qualifying began. He looked comfortable from the opening phase and carried that momentum into Q3, where his decisive final lap was enough to deny Russell by the smallest of margins.
Russell’s pace was no surprise after Mercedes had already shown strong race-winning form this season, including his Australian Grand Prix victory and Mercedes one-two earlier in the campaign.
Ferrari and McLaren Stay Close Behind
Oscar Piastri qualified third for McLaren, while Charles Leclerc placed fourth for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton completed the top five and Max Verstappen qualified sixth, leaving several proven winners close behind the Gasly-Russell front row.
Antonelli recorded the seventh-fastest qualifying time but will start from the back after Mercedes fitted power-unit components beyond his permitted allocation. Williams driver Alex Albon also faces a back-of-grid start following power-unit changes.
The penalty is especially significant for Antonelli because he arrived at Monza leading Russell by 59 points in the championship. His strong start to the year included a Japanese Grand Prix win that strengthened his early 2026 title lead.
Why Gasly’s Monza Pole Carries Extra Meaning
Monza already holds a special place in Gasly’s career. He claimed his first Formula 1 victory at the Italian circuit in 2020 after starting 10th, and six years later the same venue has delivered another personal milestone.
For Alpine, the result shows how effectively the car worked with Monza’s low-downforce demands. It does not automatically mean the team will have the strongest race pace, but starting from the front gives Gasly valuable track position against Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull.
Italian Grand Prix Race Outlook
The official Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix schedule lists Sunday’s race for September 6 at Monza. The 5.793km circuit will host 53 laps covering 306.72km.
Gasly will start with Russell alongside him and Piastri, Ferrari and Verstappen close behind. Monza’s long run to the opening chicane makes the start especially important, while race pace, tyre management and pit-stop timing will determine whether Alpine can convert its surprise pole into a podium or victory.
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