Pierre Gasly takes pole at Monza
Alpine's Pierre Gasly put in a late 1:21.786 on 5 September 2026 to claim his and the team's first pole; Russell second, Piastri third.
Pierre Gasly produced a major qualifying surprise at the Monza circuit on 5 September 2026, claiming pole position for tomorrow's main race. The Alpine driver posted a late benchmark lap that will see him start first on the grid.
Gasly set a time of 1:21.786 in the closing moments of qualifying to secure the top starting spot — the first pole-position start of his Formula 1 career and the first such result for the Alpine team.
Qualifying rundown
George Russell finished second, unable to match Gasly's late lap, while Oscar Piastri completed the top three. The outcome reshuffles expectations ahead of the race scheduled for 6 September 2026.
The result is one of the more unexpected qualifying performances of the season and hands Alpine a rare front-row advantage at the historic Italian venue.
Teams and drivers will now prepare overnight for Sunday’s Grand Prix, where grid position at Monza — with its long straights and high speeds — often plays a decisive role in the outcome.
Photo: press material from the event
