Pierre Gasly created a sensation this Saturday at Monza. The Frenchman secured the first pole position of his Formula 1 career, placing his Alpine ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes and Oscar Piastri’s McLaren. A particularly remarkable performance on a circuit that already holds a special place in his career: it was at Monza that Gasly won his only Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2020.
This pole position comes especially the day after a major setback for the Frenchman. On Friday, Pierre Gasly officially lost his Monaco Grand Prix podium after the FIA International Court of Appeal’s verdict. Third across the finish line in the Principality, the Alpine driver was ultimately classified seventh, while Isack Hadjar moved up to third place.
Gasly beats Russell and Piastri at the end of qualifying
Pierre Gasly therefore perfectly responded on the track. At Monza, the Frenchman managed to beat George Russell, second, and Oscar Piastri, third, to place the Alpine at the top of the grid.
The result is a major achievement for Gasly as well as for Alpine. The Frenchman had never before secured a pole position since his debut in Formula 1. Until now, his greatest success remained obviously his victory at Monza on September 6, 2020 with AlphaTauri.
Almost exactly six years later, Gasly returns to the forefront at the very same place.
The Monaco twist barely digested
The timing adds even more significance to this pole. Only the day before, Gasly learned that he definitively lost the nine additional points he thought he had recovered in Monaco.
The matter had several episodes. After being penalized at the end of the Grand Prix, Alpine contested the sanctions. A few days later, Gasly had recovered his Monaco podium after the cancellation of his two penalties.
But McLaren and Red Bull appealed. On Friday, September 4, the FIA International Court of Appeal finally overturned this decision and reinstated the two five-second penalties. Gasly was thus demoted to seventh place and Hadjar moved back to third.
Less than 24 hours later, the Alpine driver claimed pole at Monza.
Monza, Pierre Gasly’s favorite circuit
The relationship between Pierre Gasly and Monza obviously dates back to 2020. That year, the Frenchman achieved one of the most remarkable feats of his career by winning the Italian Grand Prix.
Starting tenth, he took advantage of the circumstances of a completely crazy race before finding himself in the lead. In the final laps, Carlos Sainz caught up to him, but Gasly held on until the checkered flag to claim his first Formula 1 victory. This time, he will not start tenth but right at the front.
Mercedes beaten in qualifying
The performance is all the more notable because Mercedes has been extremely strong in the fast lap exercise this season. George Russell notably secured pole position at the Catalonia Grand Prix, while Kimi Antonelli claimed pole in Monaco ahead of Max Verstappen.
At Monza, however, it was Gasly who managed to place his Alpine ahead of Russell. Oscar Piastri completes the top three.
This qualifying also comes two weeks after Lando Norris’s victory at Zandvoort ahead of the Mercedes, in a season where the fight remains particularly tight among the main teams.
A first pole, six years after his victory
Pierre Gasly will now try to convert this first pole into a second Formula 1 victory. The symbolism would be immense: winning a second time at Monza, six years after his 2020 success, and only two days after definitively losing his Monaco podium.
George Russell and Oscar Piastri will however be directly behind him at the start. Gasly at least has the advantage of occupying the best possible position to try to turn this historic qualifying into a new success.
For the Frenchman, the weekend is already special: first pole position of his career, obtained precisely on the circuit of his first and, so far, only Formula 1 victory.
