Italian Grand Prix 2026 – Saturday

The qualifying session for the Italian Grand Prix saw a fierce battle for pole position, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly ultimately taking the top spot. George Russell, driving for Mercedes, came close, but missed out on pole by just 0.060 seconds. Russell’s teammate, Kimi Antonelli, had a strong performance, but will start from the back of the grid due to a penalty for a power unit change. Despite this, Antonelli played a crucial role in the qualifying session, providing a slipstream for Russell on his final lap. The Mercedes team had a solid performance throughout the weekend, with Russell consistently at the top of the timesheets. However, the team faced challenges in the qualifying session, with Russell struggling to find a clear run on his final lap. The Italian Grand Prix is set to be a closely contested race, with Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull all showing strong pace throughout the weekend. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff congratulated Gasly and Alpine on their performance, but noted that his team’s car has been quick all weekend and is well-placed for a strong result on Sunday.