What record did Gasly set?
Pierre Gasly topped qualifying for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix with a time of 1:21.786. The result marked Gasly’s first pole position in Formula One. In Q3, Gasly’s time was 0.060 seconds faster than George Russell’s, meaning that based on the qualifying results alone, Gasly secured the front spot for the race start.
The top six in qualifying were Gasly, Russell, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and Max Verstappen, in that order. Franco Colapinto qualified eighth. Therefore, based solely on qualifying, Piastri was third, Leclerc fourth, Hamilton fifth, and Verstappen sixth.
What happened to the race grid after the penalties?
The starting order for the race changed from the qualifying order. Piastri received a three-place grid penalty for impeding another driver during qualifying, moving him to sixth on the race grid. As a result, the official top five starters are Gasly, Russell, Leclerc, Hamilton, and Verstappen, in that order.
Drivers required to start from the back because of the use of additional power unit elements were also confirmed. Kimi Antonelli, Liam Lawson, and Alexander Albon will start from the rear of the race grid. Antonelli qualified seventh, Lawson qualified 14th, and Albon was eliminated in qualifying but received a grid adjustment related to the use of power unit elements.
What is the race schedule and the current confirmed status?
The 2026 Italian Grand Prix starts at 15:00 local time in Monza on September 6. The currently confirmed starting order reflects Gasly’s qualifying victory, Piastri’s three-place grid penalty, and the rear-start adjustments related to power unit elements. Because this information was confirmed before the race, the official starting grid and schedule should be checked again at the time of publication to ensure they remain unchanged.