Pierre Gasly claims shock Italian Grand Prix pole for Alpine

Pierre Gasly secured the first Formula 1 pole position of his career with a surprise qualifying victory for Alpine at the Italian Grand Prix. BBC Sport reported that the French driver delivered his breakthrough pole in his 190th grand prix, the second-longest wait for a first pole in Formula 1 history.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EITo7M9RKMA

Gasly led the opening phase of qualifying and was fourth in the second session before maintaining his challenge in Q3. He was third after the first runs in the final session, then completed a decisive final lap after being positioned near the back of the group of cars, where he could benefit from a slipstream.

George Russell qualified second for Mercedes and will share the front row with Gasly. Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton will start third and fourth after McLaren's Oscar Piastri received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Red Bull driver Liam Lawson.

The result completed an unexpectedly strong Saturday for Alpine. The car showed competitive straight-line speed at the low-downforce Monza circuit, while an upgrade introduced at the previous race in the Netherlands had also improved its performance. The team is using Mercedes engines this season after Renault ended its Formula 1 engine programme.

Several leading contenders had disrupted qualifying sessions. Russell's attempt to receive a tow from Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli was complicated when Max Verstappen moved between the two cars before their final laps. Ferrari also struggled to arrange the most advantageous track positions for Leclerc and Hamilton during Q3.

Gasly's only Formula 1 race victory also came at Monza, in 2020, when he drove for AlphaTauri. His latest achievement came six years later and entirely through his qualifying pace, giving Alpine a rare place at the front of the grid. Before Saturday, Sergio Perez was the only driver to have waited longer for a maiden pole, earning his in his 215th race at the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The qualifying result also created a significant championship opportunity for Russell. He entered the weekend 59 points behind Mercedes team-mate and standings leader Antonelli, who is due to start 20th after a grid penalty for exceeding his engine allocation. Gasly acknowledged after qualifying that Alpine had not matched the leading teams' race pace in Friday running, but his pole ensured he would begin the race from the strongest possible position.