Pierre Gasly has recalled his "nine-year" chase for an F1 pole position after securing his first in 191 attempts at the Italian Grand Prix.
Gasly, who topped Q1, took the first pole in F1 history for Alpine, and was the first pole for Team Enstone since Fernando Alonso at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix.
At the place where he took his first F1 win in 2020, Gasly's pole was the first for a French driver since Jean Alesi at the 1997 Italian GP.
The time of a 1:21.786 was 0.080s faster than George Russell's, with Gasly, who lost his Monaco podium, becoming the 109th different pole-sitter in F1 history, and the first new one since Kimi Antonelli in China earlier this year.
Pierre Gasly charts 'nine-year' chase after stunning Monza pole upset
"It was amazing. It was an incredible qualifying from the first lap in Q1," Gasly explained.
"I felt very good in the car, and was trying to chip a little bit away every single session, and then yeah, at the end, it felt like a very good lap.
"But I'm so happy. It's been nine years trying to chase and get the opportunity to get a pole position, and to win my first race at Monza, and get my first pole position at this track, I think there is something special around here."
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