F1 Starting Grid 2023 Italian Grand Prix

Event: Italian Grand Prix
Track: Monza Circuit

Warm-up lap starts at: 15:00 Local | 15:00 CET | 14:00 UK | 06:00 LA | 22:00 Tokio

Top three 2023 Italian F1 GP qualifiers: Max Verstappen, pole man Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc

The stage is set for an electrifying showdown at Monza as Carlos Sainz of Ferrari stormed to pole position in a captivating qualifying session. The Spanish driver's masterful performance ignited the fervent Tifosi, securing his place at the front of the grid for the 2023 Italian Grand Prix.

Qualifying at Monza brought a unique challenge as Pirelli's 'Alternative Tyre Allocation' system came into play. With drivers required to use hard, medium, and soft tires across Q1, Q2, and Q3 respectively, strategic tire management became a crucial element of this high-speed battle.

Sainz's brilliance shone throughout the weekend's practice sessions, consistently leading the charts and showcasing the formidable potential of the Ferrari package. His teammate, Charles Leclerc, a Monza pole-sitter in the past, also displayed strong pace despite grappling with setup issues.

Max Verstappen and Red Bull, chasing a historic tenth consecutive win, posed a fierce challenge. While Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez demonstrated consistent pace, it was Sainz's sheer determination that ultimately won the day.

As the sun-drenched Monza circuit witnessed heart-stopping moments and strategic gambits, George Russell's impressive performance secured him a spot on the second row, signaling Mercedes' resilience despite tire warm-up challenges.

With the Tifosi's roars echoing through the stands, Sainz's final lap sealed his fourth career pole position. The Spanish driver's achievement sets the stage for a battle of giants, with Verstappen, Leclerc, and other contenders hungry for victory.

As we gear up for the Italian Grand Prix, the grid positions are locked, and the scene is set for a thrilling race. Stay tuned as the lights go out at 15:00 local time (13:00 UTC) tomorrow, promising a high-speed spectacle that Monza is renowned for

F1 Starting Grid 2023 Italian GP

✅ Don't forget to check out our 2023 Italian F1 Grand Prix preview info.

Pirelli's Motorsport Director Mario Isola said:

“The Grand Prix at Monza is always special, because of the great atmosphere at what is rightly known as the Temple of Speed and also because of the show it puts on for the public, who today were treated to a thrilling fight for pole between the two Ferrari drivers and the amazing champion, Max Verstappen. It was really exciting as the three of them improved their times in Q3 one after the other.

On the tyre front, these two days have seen us trial the ATA format once again, this time in stable weather. The teams and drivers have shown that they have adapted quickly to the different challenges this has created in terms of tyre usage, without affecting the on track activity. Now we will carry out a detailed analysis of the whole weekend to see if this format could be adopted on a regular basis in the future, maybe with a few adjustments, or if we will stick with the standard tyre allocation.

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s race and possible strategies, we can confirm that a single stop is the quickest option, with the Hard compound being the main protagonist. It remains to be seen if some will decide to start on the Medium to have more flexibility, with a good level of grip at the start, or risk starting on the Soft to try and make up places in the early stages. The two-stop strategy is conditioned by the fact the pit lane is very long and therefore time is lost at each pit stop, but it could be a valid choice if the race is neutralised at any point.”

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