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Pierre Gasly will start from pole position for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix after producing a sensational final lap at Monza to put Alpine at the front of the grid. Gasly set a 1:21.786 in the closing moments of Q3, beating George Russell by just 0.060 seconds and delivering one of the biggest qualifying surprises of the Formula 1 season. Russell will start alongside him for Mercedes, while Oscar Piastri qualified third for McLaren. The result denied Ferrari pole at its home Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth. Who is on pole for the Italian GP 2026? Pierre Gasly is on pole position for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix after setting the fastest lap in Qualifying at Monza. The Alpine driver recorded a 1:21.786 to beat George Russell by 0.060 seconds, with Oscar Piastri completing the top three. It is a remarkable result for Gasly and Alpine, particularly on a weekend when Mercedes and Ferrari had appeared to be the leading contenders for pole. Instead, Gasly delivered when it mattered most and will lead the field away at the 2026 Italian GP. How Gasly took pole at Monza Russell had set the early benchmark in Q3 with a 1:21.929, putting the Mercedes driver narrowly ahead of a tightly packed group. More from the Italian GP Get ready for the Italian GP with Total Motorsport’s latest Monza coverage, including Kimi Antonelli’s double power unit penalty, the full weekend schedule, Monza records and track guide, the latest weather forecast, and where to watch every session. Only 0.037 seconds separated Russell and Piastri after the first runs, while Gasly was another 0.035 seconds behind. Leclerc and Max Verstappen were also within striking distance, leaving pole wide open heading into the final attempts. The decisive lap belonged to Gasly. While several rivals struggled to improve as the track evolved, Gasly produced personal best sectors and found enough time to leap ahead of Russell. The Alpine mechanics erupted in celebration as the timing screen confirmed their driver was fastest. Russell improved through the middle sector but could not recover the deficit, leaving Gasly on pole by six hundredths of a second. Ferrari miss out on home pole at Monza A Ferrari pole would have sent the tifosi into celebration, but neither Leclerc nor Hamilton could put together the lap required to challenge Gasly. Leclerc finished fourth, 0.218 seconds away from pole, while Hamilton was only 0.007 seconds behind his teammate in fifth. The pair had endured a tense Q2, with Hamilton progressing to Q3 by only 0.001 seconds and Leclerc escaping elimination by an equally narrow margin. Both eventually reached the final pole shootout but could not convert Ferrari’s promising home pace into a front-row start. What Italian GP pole means for Gasly Pole position at Monza gives Gasly a major opportunity, but the Italian Grand Prix presents a very different challenge on Sunday. The long straights make the slipstream extremely powerful, while the run down to the first chicane gives Russell, Piastri, Leclerc and Hamilton an immediate opportunity to attack. Gasly will therefore need a clean getaway if he wants to maintain the lead through Turn 1. However, Alpine’s qualifying speed was no one-lap fluke. Franco Colapinto also made Q3 and qualified eighth, demonstrating the team’s competitiveness around Monza. Pole nevertheless belongs to Gasly, who delivered the fastest lap when the pressure was highest and produced one of the standout qualifying performances of 2026. Top 10 grid for the Italian GP 2026 | Pos. | Driver | Team | Time | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:21.786 | | 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.060 | | 3 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.180 | | 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.218 | | 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.225 | | 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.284 | | 7 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.307 | | 8 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +0.434 | | 9 | Lando Norris | McLaren | No time | | 10 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +0.500 | The final starting grid could still differ from the qualifying order because Kimi Antonelli is carrying a power unit grid penalty, while Piastri was due to face a stewards investigation following an alleged impeding incident involving Liam Lawson. Italian GP pole position FAQs Pierre Gasly secured pole position for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix with a 1:21.786 in Qualifying at Monza. Pierre Gasly and George Russell occupy the front row based on the qualifying results, with Gasly on pole for Alpine. Gasly beat Russell to Italian GP pole by 0.060 seconds. Charles Leclerc qualified fourth for Ferrari, with teammate Lewis Hamilton fifth. The Italian Grand Prix is held at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, one of Formula 1’s fastest and most historic circuits. Pole gives Gasly clear track and control at the start, although Monza’s long straights and powerful slipstream mean the cars immediately behind can challenge into the opening chicane.