The Briton settled for second place in qualifying after a surprising lap from his rival. He acknowledges that Alpine was very fast from Q1 and that Monza is the circuit where pole is least decisive for winning the race.
George Russell expected to achieve pole position at the Italian Grand Prix, but an unexpected Pierre Gasly got in his way. The Alpine driver delivered a spectacular lap in the final moments of Q3 to snatch first position from the Briton by just 60 thousandths. Russell, far from showing frustration, did not hold back on praise for his rival: "First of all, many congratulations to Pierre because it's an incredible performance" he declared at the end of the session.
Qualifying at Monza had a development that no one expected. With Kimi Antonelli, the other Mercedes, forced to start from the back of the grid due to a penalty and Ferrari unable to replicate their practice pace, the path to pole seemed clear for Russell. His first Q3 attempt, with a tow from his teammate, gave him first place. However, on his final lap, the Briton improved his time but it was not enough to stop Gasly's push.
Russell, who moments before qualifying had played a chess game with the Frenchman, joked about the double defeat: "We were finishing a chess game about 15 minutes before qualifying and he beat me there but I thought 'well, I'll beat you in qualifying' and here we are, he's ahead of me again. I did the lap very close but Pierre and Alpine have been very fast, even from Q1, so I'm glad they get a good result" added George.
The Briton did not hide his disappointment at not having achieved pole but quickly put the focus on Sunday's race: "Of all the circuits, this is probably the least important to be on pole to fight for victory. I was very happy to see Pierre on pole because he's a great driver, a great person, he hasn't had many opportunities to have a car to fight for pole. This weekend they have flown" he stated.
Russell also admitted that the team underestimated Alpine's potential: "We're going to review the FP2 data more carefully now because we really didn't think they were a threat, we knew they seemed more competitive but sometimes teams use less fuel or use high power in practice, I wouldn't say we ignored it, but I don't think anyone expected them to fight for pole" he concluded.
Sunday's race at Monza presents itself as open and full of unknowns. Russell, from the front row of the grid, will seek to capitalize on his position to close the 59 point gap that separates him from his teammate Antonelli in the drivers' championship.
The Italian's penalty, who will start from the back, is a golden opportunity for the Briton, however, the surprise from Alpine and the pace of Ferrari and Red Bull promise an exciting battle at the Temple of Speed.
Monza always delivers surprises, and Gasly's pole is the most recent proof. Russell knows the race is a different scenario where strategy and energy management will be as important as speed. With Antonelli fighting from the back and Alpine confirming their good form, Sunday promises an unpredictable show at the Temple of Speed.
