Alpine’s Gasly Takes Sensational Pole At Italian GP

MONZA (Italy), Sept 5 (Bernama-dpa) -- Alpine’s Pierre Gasly stunned the top favourites on Saturday to take pole position for the Formula One Italian Grand Prix in one of the biggest surprises of the season so far, reported German Press Agency (dpa).

The French driver has had a tough weekend so far, following news that he lost his podium finish at the Monaco GP in June after McLaren won their appeal against the result on Friday.

But he will have plenty to celebrate now. Gasly clocked 1 minute 21.786 seconds to beat Mercedes’ George Russell by 0.060 seconds.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was third, 0.180 seconds off the pace.

Russell had taken provisional pole, with Piastri, Gasly and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc all within 0.08 seconds of his time.

Piastri was the closest, but he locked up and pulled off the racing line on his final flying lap.

Russell improved his time, but it was not enough as Gasly went even faster.

Leclerc was fourth, followed by team-mate Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli was seventh, but the Italian driver is not expected to fight for the win in Monza after receiving a 30-place grid penalty due to a planned engine change.

Antonelli leads the standings by 59 points from Russell and Hamilton ahead of Sunday’s showdown.

-- BERNAMA-dpa