Pierre Gasly beats George Russell to claim stunning first F1 pole at Italian GP

Pierre Gasly pulled off the shock of the 2026 Formula 1 season so far by claiming a stunning maiden pole position at the Italian Grand Prix. 

Mercedes was expected to be the team to beat in qualifying at Monza but Gasly shocked everyone with an incredible last-gasp effort to snatch an unlikely pole for Alpine at the death. 

Gasly pipped the pre-qualifying favourite George Russell to his first career pole by just 0.060 seconds at the track he sealed a memorable maiden victory at in 2020. 

Despite failing to set a single best overall sector, improvements across the lap proved enough for the 30-year-old Frenchman to take Alpine's first pole in 17 years. 

F1 2026 Italian Grand Prix: Full qualifying result at Monza

"Let's go. Let's go. I've been waiting for that one!" Gasly screamed over team radio after taking the chequered flag. 

It comes on a weekend Gasly was stripped of his podium finish at the Monaco Grand Prix by the International Court of Appeal after McLaren and Red Bull challenged the result. 

Oscar Piastri was third-fastest as he missed out on pole by 0.180s, though the McLaren driver is at risk of picking up a penalty for impeding Liam Lawson in Q2. 

It proved to be a disappointing qualifying on home soil for Ferrari, as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton could only take fourth and fifth, with both over two tenths off the pace. 

Max Verstappen took sixth for Red Bull, ahead of championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who will drop to the back of the grid for his home race after taking an engine penalty.  

Franco Colapinto was eighth in the other Alpine, ahead of reigning world champion Lando Norris in his McLaren and the Racing Bulls of Arvid Lindblad. 

Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto took 11th and narrowly missed out on causing a huge upset as Ferrari avoided catastrophe with Hamilton ultimately advancing into the final part of qualifying by the skin of his teeth. 

Ollie Bearman finished 12th in his Haas, ahead of the second Audi of Nico Hulkenberg in 13th, and Lawson, who was frustrated not to reach the top-10 shootout. 

Lawson’s elimination ruined Red Bull’s plans to use the Kiwi to give Verstappen a slipstream. 

Williams’ Carlos Sainz was 15th-quickest, ahead of Esteban Ocon, who was 16th in the Haas. 

Yuki Tsunoda, who suffered a fuel system problem in his Racing Bulls just before qualifying, was eliminated in Q1 with a time good enough only for 17th. 

Alex Albon, who is starting from the back of the grid anyway due to an engine penalty, was effectively sacrificed by Williams to help team-mate Sainz reach Q2 by providing the Spaniard with a tow. 

The two Cadillacs outqualified both Aston Martins, with Valtteri Bottas getting the better of team-mate Sergio Perez over one lap at Monza. 

Fernando Alonso won the qualifying duel at Aston Martin despite not going out for a second timed lap, while Stroll became the first F1 driver in history to suffer 100 Q1 knockouts.