Fernando Alonso and Liam Lawson will start the Italian Grand Prix from the pit lane at Monza on Sunday (6) after Aston Martin and Red Bull made changes to their cars under parc fermé conditions, which is prohibited by the Formula 1 sporting regulations.
Aston Martin changed the MGU-K, energy store and control electronics on Alonso’s car. The regulations allow teams to use up to three of each component during the season, but the Spaniard had already replaced those elements earlier in 2026.
Lawson’s Red Bull, meanwhile, received a new rear-wing assembly as well as changes to the suspension setup. The New Zealander had already been due to start at the back of the grid after taking power-unit penalties, but the parc fermé changes now mean he will leave from the pit lane instead.
Lawson is replacing Isack Hadjar at Red Bull this weekend. As a result, the power-unit component history accumulated by the car during the season remains relevant despite the change of driver.
Alonso and Lawson join Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Alexander Albon among the drivers who were already facing back-of-the-grid penalties after power-unit component changes. Oscar Piastri, meanwhile, dropped three places after being penalized for impeding Lawson during qualifying.
With Alonso and Lawson now removed from the grid, Lance Stroll moves up to 18th, Antonelli to 19th and Albon to 20th.
GRANDE PRÊMIO follows all the action from the Italian GP, the 13th round of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
2026 Italian GP: starting grid at Monza
| Pos. | Driver | Team/Engine | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P. GASLY | Alpine Mercedes | 1:21.786 | 18 | |
| 2 | G. RUSSELL | Mercedes | 1:21.846 | +0.060 | 18 |
| 3 | C. LECLERC | Ferrari | 1:22.004 | +0.218 | 18 |
| 4 | L. HAMILTON | Ferrari | 1:22.011 | +0.225 | 18 |
| 5 | M. VERSTAPPEN | Red Bull RBPT Ford | 1:22.070 | +0.284 | 18 |
| 6 | O. PIASTRI | McLaren Mercedes | 1:21.966 | +0.180 | 18 |
| 7 | F. COLAPINTO | Alpine Mercedes | 1:22.220 | +0.434 | 18 |
| 8 | L. NORRIS | McLaren Mercedes | 1:22.256 | +0.470 | 18 |
| 9 | A. LINDBLAD | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford | 1:22.286 | +0.500 | 18 |
| 10 | G. BORTOLETO | Audi | 1:22.517 | +0.731 | 18 |
| 11 | O. BEARMAN | Haas Ferrari | 1:22.756 | +0.970 | 18 |
| 12 | N. HÜLKENBERG | Audi | 1:22.779 | +0.993 | 18 |
| 13 | C. SAINZ | Williams Mercedes | 1:23.453 | +1.667 | 15 |
| 14 | E. OCON | Haas Ferrari | 1:23.454 | +1.668 | 15 |
| 15 | Y. TSUNODA | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford | 1:23.755 | +1.969 | 15 |
| 16 | V. BOTTAS | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:24.364 | +2.578 | 15 |
| 17 | S. PÉREZ | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:24.595 | +2.809 | 15 |
| 18 | L. STROLL | Aston Martin Honda | 1:25.222 | +3.436 | 18 |
| 19 | A. K. ANTONELLI | Mercedes | 1:22.093 | +0.307 | 18 |
| 20 | A. ALBON | Williams Mercedes | 1:24.356 | +2.570 | 18 |
| PL | F. ALONSO | Aston Martin Honda | 1:25.150 | +3.364 | 18 |
| PL | L. LAWSON | Red Bull RBPT Ford | 1:22.821 | +1.035 | 15 |
PL = Pit lane start
Note: The table retains each driver’s qualifying time and laps, while the position column reflects the actual race-start order after penalties and the two pit-lane starts. Alonso and Lawson do not occupy grid slots.
FAQ
Why are Fernando Alonso and Liam Lawson starting from the pit lane?
Both Aston Martin and Red Bull made changes to their cars after qualifying while they were under parc fermé restrictions. Alonso received new power-unit components, while Lawson’s Red Bull received a new rear wing and suspension setup changes. Those changes require pit-lane starts.
Who starts on pole for the 2026 Italian GP?
Pierre Gasly starts from pole position for Alpine after setting a 1:21.786, beating George Russell by 0.060s. Charles Leclerc starts third for Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton fourth and Max Verstappen fifth.
Why does Liam Lawson have to start at the back of the field?
Lawson had already received a back-of-the-grid penalty after Red Bull exceeded the permitted power-unit component allocations. The subsequent parc fermé changes mean he now starts from the pit lane rather than occupying the final grid position.
