Key takeaways
- Gasly’s maiden 2026 pole: Pierre Gasly stormed to pole position with a 1m21.786s lap, beating Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.060 seconds.
- Tight top order: Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, and Lewis Hamilton filled out the top five, with the top six drivers separated by less than two tenths.
- Bortoleto’s heart-wrenching Q2 exit: Gabriel Bortoleto missed out on Q3 by 0.001 seconds to Lewis Hamilton, putting his Audi 11th on the grid.
Pierre Gasly produced one of the most unexpected moments of the 2026 Formula 1 season on Saturday, steering his Mercedes-powered Alpine to a stunning pole position for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Capitalizing on the sheer straight-line potential of the team’s new engine supplier, Gasly produced a faultless final effort in Q3, clocking a 1m21.786s to deny George Russell by a fraction of 0.060 seconds. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri completed the top three, just 0.117 seconds off Gasly’s benchmark.
“I can’t believe it! What a lap, what a session,” Gasly shouted over team radio as the Alpine garage exploded into celebrations. “The car felt incredible on the straights, and we put everything together when it mattered most.“
Gasly signaled his intentions early by leading Q1 and remaining firmly in contention throughout Q2. During the opening Q3 runs, Russell set the initial pace with a 1m21.929s—aided by a slipstream from teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli. However, Gasly hovered just 0.072s behind before laying down his decisive flying lap in the closing seconds.
Behind the lead trio, Charles Leclerc took 4th place for Ferrari (+0.121s), closely followed by Lewis Hamilton (+0.150s) and Max Verstappen (+0.170s). Antonelli qualified 7th on track but will drop to the rear of the grid due to power unit penalty components, alongside Alexander Albon and Liam Lawson.
Brazil’s Gabriel Bortoleto suffered heartbreak in Q2. Sitting 10th as the checkered flag fell, the Audi driver was ousted by Hamilton by a agonizing 0.001 seconds, leaving him 11th on the grid ahead of Oliver Bearman and Nico Hülkenberg.
Gasly’s historic performance coincides with crucial headlines across the grid, including why the Italian GP week could define Oliver Bearman’s Formula 1 future and Red Bull setting a Wednesday decision deadline for Isack Hadjar’s return from injury.
The 2026 Italian Grand Prix lights out on Sunday, September 6, at 09:00 EST / 15:00 CEST. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover the race live. Follow all updates on our news page.
F1 2026 Italian GP: starting grid
| Pos. | Driver | Team/Engine | Time | Gap | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G. GASLY | Alpine Mercedes | 1:21.786 | ||
| 2 | G. RUSSELL | Mercedes | 1:21.846 | +0.060 | |
| 3 | C. LECLERC | Ferrari | 1:22.004 | +0.218 | |
| 4 | L. HAMILTON | Ferrari | 1:22.011 | +0.225 | |
| 5 | M. VERSTAPPEN | Red Bull RBPT Ford | 1:22.070 | +0.284 | |
| 6 | O. PIASTRI | McLaren Mercedes | 1:21.966 | +0.180 | +3 |
| 7 | F. COLAPINTO | Alpine Mercedes | 1:22.220 | +0.434 | |
| 8 | L. NORRIS | McLaren Mercedes | 1:22.256 | +0.470 | |
| 9 | A. LINDBLAD | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford | 1:22.286 | +0.500 | |
| 10 | G. BORTOLETO | Audi | 1:22.517 | +0.731 | |
| 11 | O. BEARMAN | Haas Ferrari | 1:22.756 | +0.970 | |
| 12 | N. HÜLKENBERG | Audi | 1:22.779 | +0.993 | |
| 13 | C. SAINZ | Williams Mercedes | 1:23.453 | +1.667 | |
| 14 | E. OCON | Haas Ferrari | 1:23.454 | +1.668 | |
| 15 | Y. TSUNODA | Racing Bulls RBPT Ford | 1:23.755 | +1.969 | |
| 16 | V. BOTTAS | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:24.364 | +2.578 | |
| 17 | S. PÉREZ | Cadillac Ferrari | 1:24.595 | +2.809 | |
| 18 | F. ALONSO | Aston Martin Honda | 1:25.150 | +3.364 | |
| 19 | L. STROLL | Aston Martin Honda | 1:25.222 | +3.436 | |
| 20 | A. K. ANTONELLI | Mercedes | 1:22.093 | +0.307 | +30 |
| 21 | A. ALBON | Williams Mercedes | 1:24.356 | +2.570 | +20 |
| 21 | L. LAWSON | Red Bull RBPT Ford | 1:22.821 | +1.035 | +35 |
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. Who took pole position for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix?
Pierre Gasly secured pole position for Alpine at Monza with a time of 1m21.786s.
2. By how much did Gabriel Bortoleto miss Q3?
Gabriel Bortoleto missed out on Q3 by just 0.001 seconds, ending Q2 in 11th place behind Lewis Hamilton.
3. When is the 2026 Italian Grand Prix race?
The race takes place on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at Monza Circuit.
