Pierre Gasly takes his first Formula 1 pole at Monza, 0.060 seconds ahead of Russell

Pierre Gasly took the first pole position of his Formula 1 career at Monza on 5 September, beating George Russell by 0.060 seconds. The Alpine driver's last flying lap was timed at 1:21.786. He is the first French polesitter since Jean Alesi, also at this race, for Benetton in 1997. It is also Alpine's first pole.

Gasly won the Italian Grand Prix in 2020 for AlphaTauri, his only victory. He asked his engineers for cars ahead of him to give a tow, found the slot he wanted, and used Russell's Mercedes as the reference on the final run. Russell had been following Max Verstappen and improved his own time. It was not enough.

Oscar Piastri put a McLaren third, then lost three grid places for impeding Liam Lawson in Q2. That promotes Charles Leclerc to third and Lewis Hamilton to fourth. Verstappen rises to fifth. Piastri starts sixth. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli qualified seventh and will start at the back after Mercedes fitted a new engine. The team chose Monza for the penalty because the circuit offers passing. Lando Norris, the defending world champion, qualified ninth after a messy session. Franco Colapinto put the second Alpine eighth. Arvid Lindblad was tenth for Racing Bulls.

The result landed a day after Gasly lost his third place from Monaco. The FIA Court of Appeal reinstated a penalty from the June race after a McLaren protest. Alpine adviser Flavio Briatore accused an FIA judge of a working relationship with McLaren. Saturday's pole does not restore the Monaco trophy. It does put Gasly on the front row of a circuit where he has already won.

Russell needed the pole more than the result sheet shows. Antonelli's engine penalty opened a chance to take points off his teammate at a home race for the Italian. Starting second, with Antonelli at the rear, still leaves that chance intact. The tow that decided qualifying will decide the first lap as well. Monza rewards the car behind as much as the car in front if the slipstream is timed.

Ferrari's upgraded engine produced fourth and fifth on raw pace and then, after Piastri's penalty, a second-row lockout. Leclerc said the team had complicated its own afternoon and that he would try for a recovery on Sunday. Hamilton starts beside him. Verstappen, sixth on merit and fifth on the grid, has a clear run at both if the first chicane bunches the field.

Gasly called the feeling incredible and said the car had felt right from the start of the session. That is the whole story of the hour. Alpine found a lap that the usual polesitters did not. Sunday will test whether the same car can hold a lead once DRS trains form on the two long straights. If it cannot, the pole still stands as the first of his career and the first for a French driver at this track in 29 years.