Gasly stuns Monza with maiden F1 pole; Leclerc reveals he tipped him off

Pierre Gasly pulled off one of the biggest shocks of the F1 season by taking his maiden pole at Monza, beating George Russell in Q3. The Alpine driver had shown little pace in practice, but delivered when it mattered — leaving friend Charles Leclerc impressed and slightly rueful.

Why it matters:

Gasly's pole shows a perfect lap can elevate a midfield package to the front in these ground-effect cars. Alpine may not have the fastest car, but Monza's low-downforce layout and the tow created a window — and Gasly grabbed it.

The Details:

• Leclerc revealed Gasly asked him for advice on Turns 6 and 7 during Friday's briefing. "We always share a few little things," the Ferrari driver told Canal+.
• When Gasly took pole, Leclerc's first thought was: "I went, 'shit!' So that's what I told him straight away."
• Leclerc praised his friend: "He deserves it, he's an extremely good driver. Today, on the lap where everything had to be put together, they just did the perfect job."

What's next:

Gasly will start the Italian GP from pole for the first time, with Leclerc and the field hoping to deny him a fairytale win at the Temple of Speed. With Alpine's straight-line efficiency, Sunday's race is wide open.