Pierre Gasly surprised Formula 1 this Saturday, putting Alpine on pole position for the Italian GP, achieving the top spot in the category for the first time. The Frenchman highlighted that the result completely exceeded the team’s expectations.
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Alpine also had a consistent performance with both cars in Q3, as Franco Colapinto secured eighth place. For Gasly, the speed appeared from Q1, but even that did not make him believe that pole position would be possible.
“What an incredible moment, my first pole position in Formula 1! I am absolutely delighted with what happened today, even if not everyone can believe it. The result really exceeded our expectations,” said Gasly. The Frenchman also highlighted that he felt comfortable behind the wheel and that the team managed to improve with each lap.
Colapinto celebrated the collective performance and emphasized the importance of having both cars in the top ten: “It is positive to have both cars in Q3 and in the fight for points tomorrow, which we know is important, given that the gap to our competitors has increased in the championship,” he added.
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The Argentine driver, however, acknowledged that the race will have challenges, especially in overtaking. According to Colapinto, positioning strategy could have an important influence, while the team intends to take advantage of the performance shown in qualifying to seek points in Sunday’s GP.
Flavio Briatore, director of the French team, also celebrated the result and highlighted the significance of the achievement for the team: “I am very proud of Pierre, who deserves this moment with his first pole position in Formula 1. The team did a fantastic job,” he added.
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