Monza shock: Pierre Gasly surprises everyone as Italy’s drivers disappoint

Pierre Gasly delivered the surprise of qualifying at Monza, taking pole for the Formula One Italian Grand Prix. The Alpine driver beat George Russell by six hundredths of a second, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished third, 18 hundredths behind Gasly.

The result disappointed Italy’s home drivers. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc qualified fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth. Kimi Antonelli, the championship leader and a Mercedes teammate of Russell, finished seventh and will start Sunday’s race from the back because of a penalty for changing parts on his car.

Antonelli did not take risks in qualifying because of the penalty, according to the report. Russell must chase the young Italian in the overall standings, adding another layer to a race already shaped by Antonelli’s forced recovery from the rear.

Max Verstappen also struggled to find his way with this year’s Red Bull car and was unhappy with sixth place. Franco Colapinto, Lando Norris and Arvid Lindblad completed the top 10. Norris, the reigning world champion, was also described as disappointed.

Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix starts at 3 p.m. The report anticipates a chaotic opening and an intriguing pursuit as Antonelli tries to move through the field.