Monza, September 5, 2026 — An unexpected name sits atop the timesheets at the end of qualifying for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix: Pierre Gasly. The Alpine driver shook up the most historic circuit in F1 by taking his first-ever pole position, beating far more fancied rivals.
Gasly, who won at Monza in 2020, was stunning with a fastest lap of 1:21.786. He outpaced George Russell of Mercedes and Oscar Piastri of McLaren.
Ferrari Left Frustrated at Home
In front of the passionate tifosi, Ferrari had to settle for fourth and fifth places. Charles Leclerc was narrowly behind Gasly, while Lewis Hamilton sat just behind him. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) will start sixth, followed by Franco Colapinto (Alpine) and Lando Norris (McLaren) who struggled in Q3.
There was drama for Kimi Antonelli, who will start 20th due to a penalty despite setting a time in Q3 that was actually quicker than Verstappen. Tomorrow's race promises a fierce fight for victory in front of tens of thousands of spectators packing the circuit.
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