Italian Grand Prix: Pierre Gasly beats George Russell to stunning Monza pole
BBC • • sports
Key Points:
- Alpine's Pierre Gasly secured a surprising pole position at the Italian Grand Prix, narrowly beating Mercedes' George Russell by 0.060 seconds, marking the first French pole since 1997 at this race.
- McLaren's Oscar Piastri qualified third, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and fifth despite Ferrari's upgraded engine, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen in sixth.
- Championship leader Kimi Antonelli qualified seventh but will start at the back due to a grid penalty for a new engine, impacting Mercedes' strategy and opening opportunities for rivals.
- Gasly's pole follows a significant car upgrade and comes after recent setbacks, including losing a Monaco podium due to a penalty, highlighting a remarkable turnaround in performance.
- The session saw some errors, including Piastri locking up and affecting teammate Lando Norris, who dropped to ninth, while Ferrari underperformed despite expectations from their engine upgrade.
