Franco Colapinto secured the seventh starting position for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sunday, September 6, 2026, marking the best qualifying result of his Formula 1 career. Driving for Alpine, the Argentine driver advanced following a penalty to Andrea Kimi Antonelli, while teammate Pierre Gasly claimed a historic pole position.
Historic Qualifying Breakthrough and Starting Grid at Monza
A stunning Saturday qualifying session at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza delivered a breakthrough for Alpine as Franco Colapinto reached Q3 and secured the seventh spot on the starting grid.
The weekend’s biggest headline belonged to Pierre Gasly, who captured the first pole position of his Formula 1 career and delivered Alpine its first pole since the team transitioned to the Alpine banner. Gasly topped the session with a lap of 1:21.786, outpacing George Russell and Oscar Piastri on the historic Italian circuit.
Fue un sábado histórico en el Gran Premio de Italia de la Fórmula 1. Franco Colapinto completó una clasificación fabulosa al meterse en la Q3 y abrochar el octavo registro en pista, que se transformó en la séptima posición de partida para la carrera del domingo gracias a la sanción sobre el Mercedes de Andrea Kimi Antonelli. El pilarense firmó así la mejor posición de largada de toda su carrera en la Máxima, confirmando las enormes sensaciones que venía insinuando en las tandas libres.
La fiesta de Alpine en el circuito de Monza fue completa. Pierre Gasly dio el batacazo de la jornada al arrebatarle la pole position a George Russell y Oscar Piastri, concretando un rendimiento extraordinario para la escudería francesa. Con las actualizaciones introducidas en el A526, la estructura de Enstone demostró que tiene el ritmo de velocidad punta necesario para dar pelea firme bien arriba, ubicando a sus dos monoplazas dentro del top 10 y alimentando las ilusiones del equipo.
Con el semáforo en verde pactado para las 10:00 (hora de Argentina), la cita del domingo promete emociones fuertes en la mítica pista italiana.
| Grid Position | Driver | Constructor |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing |
| 7 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
| 8 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
Technical Upgrades and Practice Progression
Throughout Friday practice sessions, the team evaluated the new components. Colapinto finished ninth in the opening practice session with a time of 1:24.028 before improving to 11th in the second session on soft tires. In Saturday’s final practice, the Argentine driver clocked 1:23.101 to finish 10th, setting the stage for his afternoon advancement into Q3.
En la primera tanda de Prácticas de este viernes, Colapinto finalizó 9° con un tiempo de 1:24.028 estrenando actualizaciones en su monoplaza y con sensaciones positivas. Los más rápidos fueron los pilotos de Ferrari, con Charles Leclerc a la cabeza con 1:23.008 seguido de Lewis Hamilton (+0.173). George Russell (Mercedes) completó el podio, mientras que Paul Aron, que reemplazó a Gasly para esta sesión, terminó en la décima posición. En el segundo turno del viernes, Colapinto mejoró su marca y cerró con 1:23.619 en la 11ª posición.
Colapinto finished 9th and 11th in Monza, but left unsatisfied, noting that they had taken a step backward.
Quest’anno abbiamo visto Franco crescere e maturare – ha affermato Flavio Briatore – diventando un pilota eccellente. I suoi risultati, in particolare a Miami e Montreal, hanno confermato ciò che già sapevo: Franco ha un posto di diritto in Formula 1 e in questa squadra, Flavio Briatore, Team Principal via ANSA.
Contract Confirmation and Championship Context
Il pilota argentino Franco Colapinto ha prolungato il contratto con Alpine per una stagione, fino alla fine del 2027. Lo ha annunciato in un comunicato il team guidato da Flavio Briatore. Colapinto continuerà ad affiancare il francese Pierre Gasly che a sua volta nel settembre 2025 aveva prolungato il contratto fino al 2028.
Colapinto enters the 53-lap Italian Grand Prix following the official announcement of his contract extension with Alpine through the end of the 2027 season. The agreement guarantees his seat alongside Pierre Gasly for another year, building on the partnership established after Colapinto stepped into the race seat following stints as a reserve driver and his late-season debut with Williams in 2024.
Colapinto è arrivato in Formula 1 nel 2024 con la Williams, dove ha sostituito l’americano Logan Sargeant nelle ultime nove gare della stagione. All’inizio del 2025 è stato ingaggiato dall’Alpine come pilota di riserva e poi ha sostituito Jack Doohan come pilota titolare.
Flavio Briatore stated that they had seen Franco grow and mature this year into an excellent driver, adding that his results, particularly in Miami and Montreal, confirmed what he already knew—that Franco rightfully earned a place in Formula 1 and on that team.
Sono felicissimo di continuare l’avventura con il team nel 2027. Mi trovo benissimo qui. Sono perfettamente integrato e la situazione è persino migliorata grazie ai significativi progressi che abbiamo fatto quest’ano rispetto all’orso scorso. Franco Colapinto, Alpine F1 Driver, via ANSA.
Heading into the thirteenth round of the 2026 calendar, Colapinto sits 12th in the Drivers’ Championship with 19 points.
Franco aparece 12° en el Campeonato de Pilotos con 19 puntos detrás de los Racing Bulls de Arvid Lindblad (23) y a unas 25 unidades de distancia de su compañero Pierre Gasly (44). Antes del parate logró dos de sus mejores actuaciones en la F1 tras terminar por delante del francés. Remontó 10 posiciones en el Gran Premio de Silverstone para cruzar la meta 9° y tuvo maniobras sublimes –una de ellas ante el mismo Gasly– para ser 10° en Bélgica.
Broadcast Schedule and Circuit Logistics
The race at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza is scheduled to get underway on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. local Argentina time, covering 53 laps over the 5.793-kilometer layout. Known historically as the Templo de la Velocidad, the venue features long straights and heavy braking zones that emphasize top-end speed and slipstream tactics.
The Pirella Gran Premio D’Italia 2026, a.k.a. the Italian Grand Prix, will be held on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT, while practices and qualifying races will take place on Friday and Saturday. If you’re tuning in from home, you should know that this year, F1 has moved to streaming exclusively on Apple TV in the U.S. So if you want to catch this weekend’s race in Monza live, you’ll need access to Apple TV (or F1 TV Premium, now free with an Apple TV subscription). In addition to watching on Apple TV, you can also tune into F1 practice sessions and qualifying races via the Yahoo Sports Racing Hub.
For viewers in Argentina, television coverage is broadcast live on Fox Sports, while streaming is available through Disney+ Premium. In the United States, broadcasting rights for the 2026 season are held exclusively by Apple TV under a five-year agreement, with sessions also accessible via F1 TV.
