Alpine driver Pierre Gasly secured a remarkable pole position at the Italian Grand Prix on Saturday 5 September, edging out Mercedes' George Russell by 0.060 seconds in a result that defied expectations for the midfield team.
The Frenchman, who claimed his sole Formula 1 victory at this circuit for Red Bull's junior team in 2020, delivered an outstanding qualifying performance that marks his first pole in nine years of racing. McLaren's Oscar Piastri finished third, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top five despite the Scuderia introducing an upgraded engine.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen qualified sixth, with McLaren's Lando Norris managing only ninth after a difficult session. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes took seventh on the grid but faces a significant disadvantage, as he will start at the back due to a grid penalty triggered by exceeding power-unit component limits after reliability issues earlier in the season.
Gasly's achievement comes just one day after the FIA Court of Appeal reinstated a penalty that cost him third place from the Monaco Grand Prix in June. Despite this setback, the 30-year-old has now become the first Frenchman to secure pole position at a grand prix since Jean Alesi achieved the feat for Benetton at Monza in 1997.
How did Alpine achieve such an unexpected result?
Alpine's performance represents a dramatic turnaround for a team that finished last in the 2025 championship. The squad introduced substantial upgrades at the previous race in the Netherlands, where Gasly could manage only 11th place in qualifying. The transformation stems from a strategic decision by executive adviser Flavio Briatore to curtail Renault's F1 engine programme and switch to customer Mercedes power-units, combined with minimal development of the 2025 car to prioritise preparation for the new regulations.
Gasly demonstrated strong pace throughout the weekend, and his performance in qualifying exceeded even the team's internal projections.
It exceeded all our expectations,Gasly reflected after the session.
It was amazing. Thank you to everyone. It was an incredible qualifying. From the first lap in Q1, I felt very good in the car, trying to chip away a bit every single session. It felt like a very good lap. It has been nine years trying to chase a pole position and to take my first win here and then my first pole here is amazing.
Why was Russell expected to take pole?
Russell had been positioned as the favourite for pole position given that his championship-leading teammate Antonelli faced a substantial grid penalty. Mercedes had orchestrated qualifying strategy to allow Antonelli to provide a tow to Russell despite his penalty, with Antonelli assisting Russell throughout the session. However, Gasly's unexpected pace proved decisive.
Russell acknowledged the Alpine driver's superior performance.
Firstly, massive congrats to Pierre because that's an incredible performance. We were finishing a game of chess 15 minutes before qualifying and he beat me there and I thought, 'well, I will beat him in qualifying.' But here we are. I am disappointed not to be on pole but Pierre was very fast from Q1.
The result represents a disappointment for Mercedes, as Russell finished only 0.12 seconds ahead of Piastri. Antonelli's absence from the front row, combined with his grid penalty, significantly undermines Mercedes' prospects for the race on Sunday 6 September.
How did Ferrari's upgrade fail to deliver?
Ferrari arrived at Monza with considerable optimism following the introduction of an upgraded engine believed to provide approximately 0.1 seconds of performance gain. However, the session did not unfold as planned for the Scuderia.
Lewis Hamilton progressed into the final qualifying session by the narrowest of margins, advancing by just 0.001 seconds as Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto fell short of displacing him. Hamilton's narrow escape prompted an expletive from Bortoleto over the radio. In the decisive final session, neither Ferrari driver could generate sufficient pace. Leclerc recorded fourth place on both his runs, while Hamilton improved on his second attempt but finished 0.007 seconds behind his teammate, ultimately securing fifth.
What happened to Piastri and Norris?
Oscar Piastri's third-place finish provides a welcome boost following a difficult sequence of recent races. The Australian set his fastest time on his opening flying lap, a result achieved despite suboptimal track position. Piastri was leading the field during the opening runs of the final session, with Norris following behind—a disadvantageous arrangement given the critical importance of a tow at Monza's high-speed layout.
Piastri's attempt to maximise his advantage proved costly.
The first lap felt quite good. I tried to see if anyone wanted to go in front out of the pit lane but no-one did. It was always going to be difficult. I tried to be as late as possible into the first chicane and locked up so that was the session.His lock-up at the opening chicane sent him into the run-off area, compromising his final qualifying run.
Norris suffered collateral damage from Piastri's mistake. The McLaren driver was delayed at the chicane and found himself 0.4 seconds adrift at the first sector time. Unable to recover the deficit on his subsequent lap, Norris failed to improve and slipped from seventh to ninth position—a significant setback for the world champion.
What is Gasly's career trajectory?
Gasly's pole position represents a remarkable achievement for a driver who has spent much of his Formula 1 career in the midfield. His opportunity at the senior Red Bull team in 2019 ended after half a season, leading to his demotion to the junior outfit, then known as Toro Rosso. Since then, he has been engaged in a lengthy effort to rebuild his career.
His move to Renault-owned Alpine in 2023 offered the prospect of a factory team environment, yet the squad struggled considerably throughout most of his tenure, finishing last in 2025. The strategic pivot toward Mercedes power-units and the decision to sacrifice development of the current car in favour of next season's regulations have begun to yield results, with Gasly demonstrating competitive pace throughout the weekend.
Living in nearby Milan, Gasly addressed the trackside crowd in Italian following his qualifying achievement, underscoring his connection to the venue and the significance of his breakthrough performance.
What happens next?
The Italian Grand Prix race is scheduled for Sunday 6 September, with the start set for 14:00 BST. Gasly will lead the field from pole position, while Russell will start second. Piastri occupies third on the grid, with Leclerc and Hamilton completing the top five. Verstappen's sixth-place start positions him ahead of Antonelli, who will begin from the back of the grid due to his penalty.
The race presents a complex strategic scenario, with Antonelli's championship lead under threat from his grid disadvantage, while Gasly and Alpine will attempt to convert their qualifying advantage into a strong finishing position.
Key Facts:
- Gasly achieved his first pole position in nine years of Formula 1 racing, becoming the first French driver to secure pole at a grand prix since Jean Alesi in 1997.
- Alpine's performance improvement stems from switching to customer Mercedes power-units and prioritising 2026 regulation preparation over 2025 car development.
- Antonelli's 30-place grid penalty, triggered by power-unit component changes due to earlier reliability issues, significantly impacts Mercedes' race prospects despite his championship lead.
- Ferrari's upgraded engine failed to deliver expected performance gains, with both Leclerc and Hamilton unable to challenge for pole position.
- Piastri's third-place finish follows a difficult recent run of races, while Norris's ninth-place qualifying result represents a disappointing outcome for McLaren's world champion.
