MONZA, Italy — Alpine driver Pierre Gasly earned a brilliant first Formula 1 pole position at the Italian Grand Prix.
Gasley, who turned a lap of 1 minute and 21.786 seconds, edged out Mercedes’ George Russell and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in a pulsating qualifying session around the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
Gasly, who claimed his maiden F1 win at the Temple of Speed back in 2020, featured toward the front of the times throughout Saturday’s Qualifying hour, as the Frenchman and his recently updated, Mercedes-powered car shone.
Sitting third to Russell and Piastri after the opening runs, Gasly sent shockwaves through the paddock when he turned his best lap on his final lap – launching ahead of his Mercedes and McLaren rivals in the process.
Behind them, Ferrari’s practice form faded and resulted in fourth and fifth for Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with Max Verstappen sixth for Red Bull and home racer Kimi Antonelli seventh in the other Silver Arrow, prior to taking his engine penalty.
