Pierre Gasly believes there is "something special" in the air at Monza after the Frenchman claimed a shock pole for the Italian Grand Prix.

He produced a sensational performance to claim the first pole position of his career at the same track where he won his first – and only – Formula One race back in 2020, for the then-named AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls).

Just one day after he lost his third-place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix due to the FIA Court of Appeal reinstating a penalty he was given at the race in June, Gasly turned on the style.

He beat Mercedes' George Russell to the front of the grid by 0.060 seconds, as Gasly shocked the grid's usual frontrunners.

Oscar Piastri had finished third-fastest, but he was later given a three-place grid penalty for impeding Liam Lawson, meaning the two Ferraris, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, will start on the second row.

Max Verstappen also benefited from that, moving up to fifth, but Piastri's team-mate Lando Norris was only ninth after a poor final session.

"From the first lap in Q1, I felt very good in the car," Gasly said after claiming pole.

"I tried to chip away a little bit every single session, and it felt like a very good lap.

TAKE A BOW @PIERREGASLY

FIRST @F1 CAREER POLE. WOW. pic.twitter.com/IFOxfb5VPj

— BWT Alpine Formula One Team (@AlpineF1Team) September 5, 2026

"It's been nine years trying to chase the opportunity to get a pole.

"I won my first race in Monza and got my first pole at this track. It's something special around here."

Gasly's maiden pole position comes in his 190th race and means he is the first Frenchman to top qualifying at a grand prix since Jean Alesi for Benetton in 1997, also in Italy.

While Alpine were left to celebrate, it was a hiccup for Russell, who had a chance to close the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

The Italian crossed the line seventh fastest, but he has been handed a 30-place grid penalty due to engine-change penalties.

Antonelli was employed in front of Russell for the majority of the session as Mercedes bid to get a strong result, but the Brit could only finish 0.12secs ahead of Piastri before being beaten by Gasly.