2026 Formula 1 Italian GP
F1 Italian GP live commentary and updates - qualifying
Follow along for Formula 1 qualifying at Monza's Italian Grand Prix
Live Standings
Live Text
Well, there we are: Pierre Gasly on pole for tomorrow's Italian Grand Prix. I don't think you'll want to miss tomorrow's race now - and we'll catch you then.
The last time "Team Enstone" got a pole was the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, as Renault - Fernando Alonso did the deed that day, 17 years ago.
Piastri has summoned for that block on Lawson during Q2, so we'll find out what comes of that soon.
Oscar Piastri, third on the grid: "I think the first lap felt quite good, and I tried to see if anyone wanted to go out in front in the pit lane but nobody did. I just misjudged the braking a little bit and locked up. Good to have a decent result, it's been a little while so I'll take it."
George Russell, second on the grid: "Firstly, massive congrats to Pierre, that's an incredible performance. We were actually finishing a game of chess 15 minutes before qualifying and he beat me, but I thought 'well, I think I'll beat you in qualifying'...but he's ahead of me again!
"I'm disappointed not to get pole, it was a bit messy with Verstappen opening the lap, I did the lap very close, but Pierre and Alpine have been super fast, even from Q1."
Pierre Gasly, polesitter for the Italian Grand Prix: "It was amazing, thank you everyone! It was an incredible quali, and from the first lap in Q1 I felt good in the car. I was trying to chip away a bit every single session, and it felt like a very good lap. It's been nine years, trying to chase and get the opportunity to get pole position.
"To win my first race, and get my first pole position at Monza, it's very special."
Retribution? I think so. Gasly lost that podium from Monaco following the International Court of Appeal, but he's hit back in a way that none of us expected.
Alpine has been quick all weekend, but he's found something else in that car to leapfrog Russell to claim his first pole.
Top 10 in Q3
1. Gasly
2. Russell
3. Piastri
4. Leclerc
5. Hamilton
6. Verstappen
7. Antonelli
8. Colapinto
9. Norris
10. Lindblad
Gasly: "Tell me!"
Josh Peckett: "That's pole"
Gasly: "Let's go! I've been waiting for that one!
Norris finishes his lap and stays seventh for now. Verstappen doesn't improve either, but Russell uses a tow off Verstappen to go even quicker...
...but Pierre Gasly found even more pace and he's taken pole position! Did you see that coming? I don't think anyone did!
Piastri opens the lap, Norris following his team-mate. And, as Piastri locks up, that's his session done. Norris also has a bit of a more difficult road, as he's lost 0.4s in the first sector.
Verstappen's not improving in the first sector either...and nor is Russell.
Everyone's going to do the "let's all go out at the same time fun" - and indeed, the two McLarens pop out, and Lindblad is very indecisive in going into the fast lane there.
Antonelli will give Russell another tow, and Gasly will pull Colapinto along - but hope to get something off Hamilton to help his own outside-bet opportunity for pole.
Antonelli's having his own lap as everyone else sits in the pits, essentially just for pride.
It's a 1m22.093s, which puts him sixth. A slide at the Variante della Roggia doesn't help his cause, but it looked good!
"Really struggling with the car compared to FP3, front locking and instability in high-speed", Russell says. He's still top of the charts, however.
Russell, Piastri, Gasly, and Leclerc all within 0.075s - it's going to be a close one.
Antonelli gives Russell the tow into Turn 1, and it's a big first sector time for the Briton - over 0.2s clear of Norris.
Piastri and Norris do look moderately quick however, as Russell kicks us off with a 1m21.929s.
Norris does a 1m22.256s, and Piastri a 1m21.966s. Gasly goes third, with a 1m22.001s, 0.003s clear of Leclerc.
Hamilton is 0.8s off the pace, having had zero slipstream on that lap.
Q3 begins
Here's the fight for pole, then: who's going to get it? McLaren's found some pace, Mercedes still looks good, and Verstappen's lost a crucial weapon in the fight - and might hope that Lindblad can help him this time.
Ferrari, meanwhile, is struggling for pace here. Where's it all gone?
"That was appalling, you just hung me out to dry," Lawson says, absolutely furious with his hot lap being hurt by the traffic.
With grid penalties, he's going to be at the back anyway - but Verstappen will now have to seek a tow-giver elsewhere.
Eliminated in Q3
11. Bortoleto
12. Bearman
13. Hulkenberg
14. Lawson
15. Sainz
16. Ocon
Leclerc doesn't improve. Hamilton gets up to 10th, Bearman stays 12th.
Antonelli goes to the top of the charts, with a 1m21.882s.
Bortoleto improves, but he's 0.001s shy of Hamilton and misses out on Q3.
Lawson improves, but that's not quite enough to get out of Q2 - traffic in the first sector rather hurting his lap.
Leclerc's on the cusp a little bit here, trying to improve his time and pull Hamilton along. But neither of them look particularly quick here...
And here come the rest: Leclerc ahead of Hamilton and hoping both can get through. Lawson is being pulled along by Verstappen this time, but Piastri is right on the apex at Turn 1 and blocks the Kiwi.
Piastri and Hulkenberg noted for a pit lane infringement.
Lawson helps Verstappen to get up to fifth, and Sainz once again swims in their slipstream like a remora.
The Spaniard stays 15th, 0.6s clear of Ocon.
Elimination zone with five minutes to go
11. Hamilton
12. Bearman
13. Lawson
14. Hulkenberg
15. Sainz
16. Ocon
"Do I have to go out alone every time?" Antonelli asks, as he's clearly wanting a tow off someone.
Lawson and Verstappen are starting another lap, Lawson about three seconds ahead to help Verstappen along.
Antonelli sets a 1m22.334s, but Russell gets a 1m22.161s to get to the top...
But Gasly, again, is fastest...before the two McLarens find something, Piastri did a 1m22.017s and Norris is half a tenth behind.
The Ferraris haven't really shown up, and Hamilton is currently 11th.
We've got the rest of the Q2 contenders out now, following Red Bull's early efforts. Mercedes positions Antonelli ahead of Russell to help punch a hole in the air. Bearman is just behind Russell.
Gasly, Ocon, and Leclerc are also starting laps, and the former is looking good in sector one.
Verstappen gets a 1m22.573s, and Lawson a 1m22.828s. It should be enough, but who knows?
Sainz was a further second behind, having tried to eat Verstappen's tow.
"The car is broken on the rear axle again, undriveable in Turn 2, 4 and 5," Verstappen says.
Q2 open for business
Verstappen and Lawson are out nice and early to do some tow-based work to help the Dutchman, followed by Sainz - who'll have to borrow a tow off another team to help his cause.
Norris asks if there's "anything we can do" with his brakes, as he's still not happy. Both McLarens really seemed to struggle with that run into Turn 1.
"Thanks for being a team player, Alex", says Albon's engineer, who sacrified his own lap to help Sainz get through.
Eliminated in Q1
17. Tsunoda
18. Albon
19. Bottas
20. Perez
21. Alonso
22. Stroll
Norris sets a 1m22.659s to go third, Bearman doesn't improve, Piastri might be able to do a lap.
Gasly stays top, as Hulkenberg moves up to 14th to push Tsunoda into the drop zone!
Piastri indeed finishes his lap, but stays 11th.
Alonso is also out of the car, so that's his day done.
Piastri locks up at Turn 1, so that's that lap over before it really began. Norris finds time in the middle sector, using a tow off Antonelli - who calls his lap over.
Lawson gets a set of softs, now that his Verstappen-taxi role is done, and goes out on a clear track. He's up to 10th, 0.377s off the pace, to split the McLarens.
Everyone except Verstappen and the Ferraris goes out again.
Elimination zone with five minutes remaining
17. Hulkenberg
18. Albon
19. Bottas
20. Alonso
21. Stroll
22. Perez
Leclerc is seventh, 0.290s off Gasly. Verstappen's already out of the car, presumably pleased with his lap and feeling he doesn't need to go again.
Most of the rest of the field are certainly not in the same boat. Bearman gets up to eighth, ahead of the McLarens.
Lindblad moves up to 10th, and Tsunoda - now on-track - is 12th until the Alpines swarm to the top of the charts. Gasly is top now, a 1m22.612s, with Colapinto half a tenth off in third.
Alpine at the peak of the time-sheets, then.
Lawson moves up to seventh on those mediums, ahead of Sainz.
Antonelli starts a lap, gets a purple middle sector...at least, until Russell beats that.
And how do they stack up? Antonelli gets a 1m22.758s, then Russell a 1m22.779s - so second and third.
