Pierre Gasly left Monza with plenty to celebrate despite being unable to convert his first Formula 1 pole position into a podium at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix. The Alpine driver eventually finished seventh after briefly leading the race, but described the weekend as “incredible” and believes his result was probably the maximum available against the faster frontrunners.
Monza produced an unforgettable weekend for several drivers. Kimi Antonelli won his home Grand Prix after starting from the back of the grid, ending a 60-year wait for an Italian driver to win on home soil. Before that remarkable comeback, however, it was Pierre Gasly who had delivered one of the biggest surprises of qualifying by putting Alpine on pole position.
Pierre Gasly celebrates first F1 pole at a special Monza circuit
Gasly’s relationship with Monza was already special. It was at the same circuit that the Frenchman claimed his maiden Formula 1 victory in 2020, and six years later he added another major career milestone by securing his first pole position.
Trying to defend the lead on Sunday was always going to be a considerably more difficult challenge. Mercedes ultimately demonstrated its superior race pace with a one-two finish, while Pierre Gasly gradually slipped away from the leading positions. Even so, seventh place left the Alpine driver far from disappointed.
“It was an incredible weekend. To be honest, we can all be very happy with what we achieved, and finishing seventh today, best of the rest and at the top of the midfield, is a really good result,” Pierre Gasly said.
“Of course, we wanted more, but we also have to be realistic, and today’s result is probably the best we could have achieved with what we have at the moment. So, in the end, I’m happy. After yesterday [Saturday], we were all dreaming, but today we came back to reality!”
Gasly battles Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton at Italian GP
Pierre Gasly was nevertheless able to enjoy running at the front of the field. The Alpine driver made two strong starts during an eventful race and led for a lap before the quicker cars began working their way through.
“I had two good starts and led for a lap, so that was what we wanted at the beginning. After that, the others caught me and I fought with Lando Norris, who has won the last two races, and in the end I finished three seconds behind Lewis [Hamilton], who has also been very strong recently.”
Norris arrived at Monza in strong form after his recent success, with the McLaren driver having also explained how he believes he has developed into a better Formula 1 driver in 2026.
Gasly added: “There are so many positives to take away and so many memories from this weekend, which I’ll cherish for a long time. We’ll debrief as a team, take the points, which are very valuable for our championship fight, and focus on a new track in Madrid next weekend.”
Franco Colapinto apologises despite Alpine double points finish
Alpine can now travel to Madrid knowing both of its drivers finished inside the points at Monza. Franco Colapinto crossed the line ninth, although his afternoon included a frightening moment at the first Lesmo after he had climbed as high as fourth following the red-flag restart.
Despite securing two points, Franco Colapinto was frustrated with himself after losing control while closely following Max Verstappen.
“After a race like today, with all the emotions and the position we were in, it’s difficult not to be frustrated. I’m disappointed with myself because we could have done much better, and for that I apologise to the team,” Franco Colapinto said.
“We had a good start, made up positions and even got as high as fourth at the restart after the red flag. As a driver, when you’re fighting for those positions, it gives you extra energy and motivation. You want more and you don’t want to lose them.
“I was following Max Verstappen closely and lost control at Turn 6, ending up in the gravel. Fortunately, we avoided the barriers, but the car behaved differently afterwards, so we probably sustained some floor damage.”
The Argentine nevertheless managed to recover and return to the top 10, helping Alpine complete an important double points finish behind the leading teams and a competitive McLaren squad.
“After that, I tried to regain my concentration and score points for the team. I’m disappointed with myself right now, but after I’ve had some time to reflect, I hope I’ll be able to see it as a good recovery.”
For Alpine, Monza therefore ended with both satisfaction and a sense of what might have been. Pierre Gasly’s maiden pole demonstrated the team’s qualifying potential, while seventh and ninth in the race delivered valuable championship points before Formula 1 heads to the new Madrid circuit.
