2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: The battle for pole position is about to begin at the 2026 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix, with qualifying set to get underway at Monza at 7:30 PM IST. George Russell enters the session as the driver to beat after topping final practice with a 1:22.219, while Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were also among the leading contenders.
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Ferrari will be hoping to deliver a strong result at its home Grand Prix, while Mercedes has shown impressive one-lap pace throughout Saturday. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli faces a different challenge, as his power-unit penalty means his qualifying position will not determine his eventual starting spot for Sunday’s race.
Follow Auto India Daily’s 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE coverage for Q1, Q2 and Q3 updates, lap times, major incidents, pole position and the complete qualifying result from Monza.
Also Read: 2026 F1 Italian GP FP3 LIVE: Monza Practice Updates, Results & Latest News
2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE Updates
8:38 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Gasly Takes Sensational Pole at Monza
Pierre Gasly has taken a sensational pole position for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, putting Alpine at the front of the grid after a dramatic qualifying session at Monza. Gasly clocked a 1:21.786, edging George Russell by just 0.060 seconds.
Russell had looked set for pole after leading the early Q3 runs, but Gasly produced a brilliant final lap to snatch the top spot. Oscar Piastri qualified third, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton secured fourth and fifth, respectively.
2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying Results
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:21.786 |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:21.846 |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:21.966 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:22.004 |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:22.011 |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:22.070 |
| 7 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:22.093 |
| 8 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:22.220 |
| 9 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:22.256 |
| 10 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 1:22.286 |
| 11 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 1:22.517 |
| 12 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:22.756 |
| 13 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 1:22.779 |
| 14 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull | 1:22.821 |
| 15 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:23.453 |
| 16 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:23.454 |
| 17 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | 1:23.755 |
| 18 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:24.356 |
| 19 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1:24.364 |
| 20 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 1:24.595 |
| 21 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:25.150 |
| 22 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:25.222 |
Important: Kimi Antonelli has qualified P7, but his power-unit penalty means he is set to start from the back of the grid, so the actual race starting order will differ from this qualifying classification.
Qualifying is now complete at Monza. Stay tuned to Auto India Daily for the latest 2026 F1 Italian GP race updates, starting grid and Sunday race coverage.
8:30 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Final Q3 Laps Underway at Monza
The final flying laps of Q3 are now underway at Monza. George Russell remains on provisional pole, but the Mercedes driver still has to deliver one more clean lap to secure the top spot.
The battle is extremely tight behind him, with Oscar Piastri, Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc all within striking distance. Max Verstappen, Kimi Antonelli, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton will also be looking to make their final attempts count.
Can Russell hold on for pole at the Italian Grand Prix? The final laps will decide it.
8:27 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Russell Leads as Gasly Stays in Pole Fight
George Russell continues to lead the provisional order as the drivers prepare for their final Q3 runs at Monza. Oscar Piastri is second, Pierre Gasly third and Charles Leclerc fourth, with Max Verstappen currently fifth.
Kimi Antonelli has moved up to P6, just under two-tenths behind his Mercedes teammate. Lando Norris sits seventh, followed by Arvid Lindblad, Lewis Hamilton and Franco Colapinto.
Gasly is proving to be a genuine pole contender, with the Alpine driver just 0.072 seconds off Russell’s provisional benchmark. With the final flying laps still to come, the fight for pole remains extremely tigh
8:22 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Russell Takes Provisional Pole in Q3
The final battle for pole position is underway at Monza, with all 10 drivers now fighting for the top spot in Q3.
George Russell has made a strong start to the final qualifying segment and currently sits on provisional pole. The Mercedes driver leads Oscar Piastri, Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc, with just 0.075 seconds separating the top four.
The 10 drivers through to Q3 are Kimi Antonelli, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Pierre Gasly, Max Verstappen, Arvid Lindblad, Franco Colapinto, George Russell, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
With the gaps this tight, the final flying laps could completely change the order at Monza.
8:08 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Verstappen Climbs to P5 as Hamilton Remains in Danger
Max Verstappen has improved to P5 in Q2, moving himself closer to safety as the session enters its crucial final phase. The top five are separated by just 0.171 seconds, highlighting how tight the qualifying battle is at Monza.
However, Verstappen was previously down in the danger zone, and Liam Lawson remains P13, leaving the second Red Bull in serious trouble.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton is also under pressure in P11. His earlier lap was set on used soft tyres, which explains his position outside the top 10. Ferrari will now need Hamilton to deliver on his final attempt if he is to make Q3.
With both Verstappen and Hamilton fighting to avoid a shock Q2 exit, the final runs could completely reshape the order.
8:01 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Verstappen Reports Rear Axle Problem in Q2
The opening laps of Q2 have seen plenty of action, with all 13 remaining drivers now out on track. Max Verstappen is currently leading the early running, going around three-tenths quicker than Liam Lawson and Carlos Sainz.
However, Verstappen has also reported a potential issue with his Red Bull RB22, complaining that the rear axle feels broken again. Red Bull will be hoping the problem does not affect his push for a place in Q3.
Verstappen is also receiving a tow from teammate Liam Lawson, which could help the Red Bull driver gain valuable time on Monza’s long straights.
7:56 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Q2 Gets Underway at Monza
Q2 is officially underway at Monza, with the green light signalling the start of the second qualifying segment. The remaining 16 drivers now have 15 minutes to fight for a place in the top 10 and secure a spot in Q3.
Both Red Bull drivers are straight out on track, wasting no time as the battle for the final qualifying segment begins.
7:53 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Six Drivers Eliminated in Q1
Q1 has come to an end at Monza, with six drivers knocked out of qualifying. Yuki Tsunoda, Alex Albon, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will not progress to Q2.
The biggest surprise is the early elimination of Tsunoda and Albon, while both Cadillac drivers have managed to qualify ahead of the two Aston Martins. Bottas and Perez will therefore start ahead of Alonso and Stroll on the provisional grid.
7:47 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Six Drivers Face Q1 Elimination
With the final hot laps approaching in Q1, six drivers are currently in the elimination zone and need to improve their times to avoid an early exit.
The drivers currently at risk are:
- Nico Hulkenberg
- Alexander Albon
- Valtteri Bottas
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Sergio Perez
Meanwhile, Mercedes and McLaren have sent both cars back out for another flying lap, while Max Verstappen and both Ferrari drivers are currently remaining in the garage.
The pressure is building quickly as the final Q1 runs get underway at Monza.
7:44 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Gasly Leads With Five Minutes Left in Q1
Pierre Gasly continues to lead the way in Q1 with just five minutes remaining. Max Verstappen has moved into second, while Franco Colapinto holds an impressive third place.
The two Mercedes drivers are currently inside the top five, with Kimi Antonelli fourth and George Russell fifth. Lewis Hamilton sits sixth, followed by Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.
Oliver Bearman is currently eighth, while McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris occupy ninth and 10th respectively.
Current Q1 top 10:
- Pierre Gasly
- Max Verstappen
- Franco Colapinto
- Kimi Antonelli
- George Russell
- Lewis Hamilton
- Charles Leclerc
- Oliver Bearman
- Oscar Piastri
- Lando Norris
With only five minutes left, the order could change rapidly as drivers begin their final qualifying attempts.
7:41 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Gasly Surges to the Top in Q1
Pierre Gasly has stunned the field in Q1, setting a 1:22.612 to move into P1 by just 0.019 seconds. Alpine teammate Franco Colapinto is also having a strong session, sitting third and only 0.050s off the pace.
The two Mercedes drivers are also safely inside the top five, with Kimi Antonelli fourth and George Russell fifth.
Gasly’s lap is an impressive early benchmark at Monza, although it remains to be seen whether Alpine can maintain this pace as the track evolves and the leading drivers complete their final Q1 runs.
7:38 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Russell Takes a Different Tyre Approach
George Russell has started his first flying lap in qualifying on the medium tyres, while Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli is running the soft compound. The different tyre strategy could allow Russell to preserve a set of soft tyres for the later stages of qualifying if he can set a competitive time on the mediums.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen is currently setting the pace, with Lewis Hamilton in second, followed by Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc. Lando Norris has moved into fifth, around 0.373 seconds behind Verstappen, putting the McLaren driver in a strong position to progress into Q2.
Russell’s medium-tyre gamble will be one of the interesting things to watch as Q1 develops.
7:34 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Fuel Leak Forces Tsunoda Back Into the Garage
Yuki Tsunoda has hit an early problem during qualifying at Monza. The Red Bull driver has been forced back into the garage after his team detected a fuel leak on his car.
With Q1 already underway, the issue could leave Tsunoda with limited running time and put additional pressure on him to get back out on track before the session reaches its conclusion.
Tsunoda will now be hoping the Red Bull mechanics can resolve the problem quickly and give him enough time to set a competitive lap.
7:27 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: Here We Go at Monza!
The qualifying build-up is over and the Italian Grand Prix qualifying session is now getting underway at Monza. After George Russell set the pace in FP3, all eyes are now on Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull as the drivers begin their fight for pole position.
Charles Leclerc is also one of the drivers to watch closely. He has looked competitive throughout the weekend and has generally appeared to have the edge over Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton, although his FP3 performance was not as strong as expected.
The big question now is whether Russell can convert his FP3 pace into pole position. Q1 is underway at Monza.
7:22 PM IST — 2026 F1 Italian GP Qualifying LIVE: The Grid Battle Is About to Begin
The final preparations are underway at Monza ahead of qualifying. Drivers and teams are getting ready for the three-session battle that will decide the starting order for the Italian Grand Prix.
George Russell arrives as the early favourite after topping FP3, but Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull are all expected to challenge Mercedes when the drivers begin their flying laps.
Also Read: 2026 F1 Italian GP Schedule: Monza Race, Qualifying & Full IST Timings
