Pierre Gasly waited 190 grands prix for this. Nine years of solid, unspectacular, occasionally brilliant driving for cars that were never quite good enough, and then Monza happens and suddenly he is the fastest man on the planet for one Saturday afternoon. Nobody predicted it. Not Alpine, not the bookies, not even Gasly himself until about halfway through Q3.
The full story of how George Russell lost pole thanks to a Q3 tow mix-up with Max Verstappen has already been covered in detail elsewhere on this site. What matters here is the man who actually walked away with it, and what happens next at 13:00 UTC on Sunday.
Eighth Heaven, Apparently
Gasly did not hide his emotions once the lap had been confirmed. Speaking to Viaplay, he said he was in what he called eighth heaven, one better than the usual cliche.
“I am really in the eighth heaven. I am so happy. It is very hard to explain what this does to me.” – Pierre Gasly
He has every reason to be. This is his first pole position in 190 race weekends, a wait beaten only by Sergio Perez, whose first pole took 215 races, as reported by the BBC. Nine years in the sport and this is the first time he has ever had a car capable of genuinely fighting for the top spot on a Saturday.
“I am driving in Formula 1 for nine years now and have never been allowed to experience this feeling. I work incredibly hard for this. I have actually never had a car with which I could really fight for pole. Today that was suddenly different.” – Pierre Gasly
Alpine’s own trajectory backs up the sense of disbelief. The team went from a lowly position in the constructors’ table to an actual Monza pole inside the space of a single qualifying hour, which even by Formula One standards is a violent mood swing.
How Alpine Actually Did It
This was not a fluke lap in a chaotic session. Gasly’s Alpine carries strong straight-line speed thanks to a low-downforce setup that happens to suit Monza’s long straights better than almost anything else on the grid, and the car has been sharpening up since an upgrade landed at the Dutch Grand Prix. Free Practice 3 already hinted at something building, and Gasly said the feeling only grew from there.
“The car was incredibly good throughout the whole session today. From FP3 onwards I already felt better. In qualifying it felt right from the start. We hoped for a place in the top ten and in the end we are right at the top. That is almost impossible to comprehend.” – Pierre Gasly
He topped Q1 outright, slipped to fourth in Q2, then produced the lap that mattered when it counted most in Q3. Being second-last in the queue for the final runs put him in the ideal spot for a tow, and he took full advantage through Ascari and Parabolica on a lap he described as hectic. Alpine’s managing director Steve Nielsen told Sky Sports the swing in fortunes had been dramatic, saying the team had been on the floor only days earlier after losing Gasly’s Monaco podium result on appeal, and were now on top of the world.
Sunday’s Reality Check
Gasly is refusing to pretend this changes everything. Alpine simply is not the fastest race car on the grid, and he knows a few tenths per lap will likely be missing once the tyres start wearing and the McLarens, Ferraris and Mercedes start hunting him down from further back.
“You have to just go for it. I also know that I am not the favourite, but today we were not either. I now have the best starting position and want to give everything to keep those guys behind me. We are probably missing a few tenths in race pace, but this is Formula 1. You never know what can happen.” – Pierre Gasly
He is refusing to get carried away with expectations either. Podium, top five, victory, he genuinely does not know which of those is realistic, and says Sunday will provide the answer.
“I just want to do my job and give everything for the team. Whether that is enough for the win, a podium or maybe the top five? I have no idea. We will get the answer to that on Sunday. The most important thing now is to get away well from the line and hold the lead.” – Pierre Gasly
The grid behind him is not exactly full of pushovers either. Russell starts second and knows this is a genuine chance to chip into the 59 point gap he carries to championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who starts down in twentieth after a grid penalty for exceeding his engine allowance. Ferrari occupy third and fourth on the grid via Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with Oscar Piastri shuffled back after his own grid penalty for impeding Liam Lawson. There is more penalty paperwork attached to this grid than Monza has ever needed before, and it all works in Gasly’s favour when it comes to keeping clean air ahead of him at the start.
Race Start and What to Expect
Lights out for the Italian Grand Prix is set for 13:00 UTC on Sunday, check the calendar for your local time. Monza’s long straights make overtaking easier than most circuits but harder than the lap times suggest, given the DRS trains that tend to form and the sheer difficulty of actually completing a pass once you arrive. Gasly’s straight-line speed advantage should help him defend into the first chicane, though the real test comes once tyre degradation kicks in and the faster cars behind start closing.
Whether Gasly can genuinely hold on for the win or ends up fighting a rearguard action for a podium is impossible to say with any confidence. What is certain is that Alpine, a team that looked finished a matter of days ago after losing an appeal over Monaco pit lane penalties, now has its best shot at a race win since Gasly’s fortunate victory at this same circuit six years ago. This time, at least, nobody can call it luck.
Italian Grand Prix Qualifying Results
| Pos | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
Grid positions reflect subsequent penalties applied to Oscar Piastri, Kimi Antonelli, Alexander Albon and Liam Lawson, as covered separately in our Italian GP grid penalties report.
