Pierre Gasly stunned the Formula 1 grid by taking pole position for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, beating Mercedes and McLaren in a dramatic qualifying session. George Russell and the McLaren drivers appeared to be in contention, but Gasly produced a late 1:21.786 to claim a sensational top spot.
Follow PaddockLines on social media: Facebook and Instagram
Q1 – Gasly surprises the grid
Hot air and scorching asphalt greeted the drivers on Saturday afternoon at Monza for qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix. Following the pace shown by Mercedes in Free Practice 3, attention was focused on whether the Silver Arrows could carry that performance into qualifying.
Almost all drivers opted for soft tyres at the start of Q1, with only George Russell and Liam Lawson choosing mediums. Max Verstappen initially set the pace, with Kimi Antonelli moving into second and Russell taking third. However, the early order quickly changed as Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto jumped ahead of the frontrunners.
The Ferraris struggled to match the leading pace in the opening part of the session, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton sitting sixth and seventh respectively.
With three minutes remaining, drivers returned to the track for another round of flying laps. Oscar Piastri made a mistake at Turn 1 and had to complete another lap, eventually finishing Q1 in 11th. Lando Norris improved to third, but Gasly remained at the top of the standings with a 1:22.612.
Out: Yuki Tsunoda, Alex Albon, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll
Q2 – Antonelli strikes at the end
All drivers switched to soft tyres for Q2. Verstappen set the initial benchmark with a 1:22.573, but the McLarens soon moved ahead.
Piastri produced a 1:22.017 to take first place, just 0.005 seconds ahead of Norris. Gasly continued to impress and moved into third, ahead of Russell, Verstappen and Antonelli. The Ferraris remained outside the leading positions. Leclerc was eighth while Hamilton sat 11th after their first attempts.
The second runs brought further tension. Leclerc improved to 9th, while Hamilton moved into 10th. The Ferrari driver faced a particularly nervous wait in the closing moments, with Gabriel Bortoleto finishing just 0.001 seconds behind him.
Antonelli then delivered when it mattered most. His final lap, a 1:21.882, put the Mercedes driver at the top of the timing screens as the chequered flag fell. He ended Q2 ahead of Piastri and Norris.
Out: Gabriel Bortoleto, Oliver Bearman, Nico Hulkenberg, Liam Lawson, Carlos Sainz, Esteban Ocon
Q3 – Gasly takes sensational pole
The fight for pole began with Mercedes and McLaren looking like the main contenders, but Gasly once again had something special in his Alpine.
Russell set the early benchmark with a 1:21.929, while Piastri came within 0.037 seconds of the Mercedes driver. Gasly then moved into third, with Leclerc taking fourth, just 0.075 seconds behind Russell. Antonelli struggled to match his Q2 pace, leaving him sixth after the opening runs (he will be starting from back due to an engine change).
The final shootout delivered even more drama. Piastri made another mistake at Turn 1, while several drivers appeared unable to improve their times.
Russell was one of the drivers capable of finding more time, but Gasly was faster still.
The Alpine driver crossed the line with a stunning 1:21.786, securing pole position for the Italian Grand Prix and producing one of the biggest qualifying surprises at Monza.
The full results of the Qualifying according to FIA.com:
