Pierre Gasly delivered a surprise result in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix on Saturday, securing pole position at Monza for Alpine. According to BBC Sport, the French driver outpaced George Russell of Mercedes to claim the top spot on the grid for Sunday’s race.
The result marks a significant upset, with Gasly beating drivers from teams that have typically held an advantage at the high-speed Monza circuit. BBC described the achievement as a "stunning" pole, while The Guardian reported that Alpine’s performance stunned the sport’s bigger teams. The qualifying session took place on 5 September 2026, ahead of the race at the historic Italian track.
Gasly’s pole comes just days after a difficult moment for the Alpine squad. Sky Sports noted that the team lost a podium finish at the previous race in Monaco, making this qualifying result a swift and notable turnaround. The contrast between that disappointment and the Monza performance has drawn attention to Alpine’s pace at this circuit.
The achievement has also sparked outside interest. Motorsport.com reported that television personality Jeremy Clarkson made a promise related to Alpine following Gasly’s qualifying result, though the specific nature of that pledge was not detailed in the available reporting.
Attention now shifts to the race itself. Sky Sports has raised the question of whether Gasly can convert his pole position into a victory at Monza, a track where overtaking is possible but starting from the front provides a clear advantage. Sunday’s race will determine if Alpine can follow up its qualifying success with a strong result.
