QUALIFYING: GetSpeed leads Mercedes-AMG one-two at Monza

The AMG runners were in ominous form during practice, but this does not always translate into a strong grid position. This time it did:  the German squad bagged the Rowe Pole Position Award ahead of the #48 Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter car, giving the brand its first P1 start at Monza since 2016.

Luca Stolz started the ball rolling by setting the third-fastest time in Q1. This session was topped by Alessio Rovera in the #51 AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors Ferrari, who set a 1m45.376s, followed by Lucas Auer in the #48.

Next came Jules Gounon, who produced the fastest time in Q2 – a 1m45.000s – and put the GetSpeed car on top heading into the final segment. Still, he wasn't satisfied: "I'm not super happy," mused Gounon, who reckoned he'd left a little too much margin at the Ascari chicane. "I didn't put everything together. Sometimes, when you're a perfectionist, it's very hard to be happy."

Perfectionist or not, Gounon must have been satisified with what happened in Q3. Fabian Schiller was quickest of all with a 1m45.086s, confirming the Mercedes-AMG GetSpeed as this weekend's pole-sitter. The #48 Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter entry earned second with its line-up of Auer/Cairoli/Engel, completing a stellar session for the Affalterbach brand.

Row two will be shared by a pair of Lamborghinis – the #63 Grasser Racing machine and the #163 VSR entry – giving the Italian marque a real shot at victory on home soil. The third row is an all McLaren affair, with the #59 Garage 59 entry beating the sister #58 machine. The latter also earned pole in the Gold Cup with its crew of MacDonald/Prette/Smalley.

The same squad secured a second successive Bronze Cup pole thanks to another impressive showing from the #188 trio of Fleming/Oliveira/Ramos. They will start 13th overall, one place ahead of the best Silver Cup crew. This was the #21 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin, driven by Baert/Day/Pauwels, who outqualified several strong Pro cars.

The #51 Ferrari ended up eighth, while the #32 Team WRT BMW – which won the opening round at Circuit Paul Ricard – was 11th. Though not ideal starting spots, both can still win this afternoon's race, with grid position not as critical at Monza as at some circuits. Indeed, last year's winner started from P29.

Results are HERE