Pierre Gasly stuns Monza again with his first-ever pole position at Italian GP

Alpine's Pierre Gasly claimed his first-ever pole position in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix on Saturday.

The F1 driver seemed as surprised as everyone when he was informed on the team radio that he was fastest immediately after the session.

"Let's go! Been waiting for that one!" exclaimed Gasly, who took his only Formula 1 win at Monza in 2020.

Gasly looked strong throughout the session and finished O.060 seconds ahead of Mercedes driver George Russell.

"In the end it felt like a very good lap but I am so happy, it has been nine years, trying to chase and get the opportunity to get pole position," said Gasly, who lives in nearby Milan. "To win my first race in Monza, get my first pole position on this track, it is something special around here."

Russell was among drivers to express surprise at Gasly topping the timesheets.

"To be totally honest I don't think we thought they were in the fight and it goes to show what a great job he did," Russell said.

Oscar Piastri was third-fastest in qualifying but was handed a three-place grid penalty after stewards found the McLaren driver guilty of impeding Red Bull's Liam Lawson in Q2.

That promoted Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with the Ferrari duo — who have an upgraded engine this weekend — locking out the second row. There was a scare for the team earlier in its home race as Hamilton only just sneaked into Q3 by one thousandth of a second.

Lawson's teammate Max Verstappen also moved up a place, to fifth. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli qualified seventh-fastest but a grid penalty due to a planned engine change means he will start at the back.

Gasly's teammate Franco Colapinto moves up to seventh, with defending champion Lando Norris, Arvid Lindblad and Gabriel