F3 | 2026 Italian GP | Qualifying | Slater claims pole position after going fastest in Group B; De Palo tops Group A

Freddie Slater claimed pole position for the 2026 FIA Formula 3 (F3) Italian Grand Prix after topping Friday’s Qualifying session at Monza.

Following the summer break, the FIA Formula 3 Championship returned to action at the Temple of Speed for Round 8 of the 2026 season, with the iconic Monza circuit providing the backdrop for the penultimate weekend of the campaign.

Friday’s Practice session saw Alessandro Giusti set the pace, with the ART Grand Prix driver recording a 1:37.445 to finish ahead of Tuukka Taponen and Mattia Colnaghi. Taponen ended the session just 0.232 seconds off the benchmark with a 1:37.677, while Colnaghi completed the top three with a 1:37.865.

Championship contender Ugo Ugochukwu’s weekend got off to a difficult start, meanwhile, after the American was involved in an incident with Matteo De Palo on the start-finish straight.

Ugochukwu was subsequently handed a five-place grid penalty for both the Sprint and Feature Races at Monza, adding another challenge to his title fight heading into the final rounds of the season.

2026 F3 Italian GP Qualifying Group A: De Palo goes fastest

With five minutes remaining on the clock, most drivers in Group A were able to complete two flying laps.

Tuukka Taponen was the first to cross the line, setting a 1:49.030, but was quickly displaced as the rest of the field completed their opening runs.

Leading the pack for the second push lap, Taponen improved to a 1:38.458, only for Taito Kato to go faster with a 1:38.275. Yamakoshi then edged ahead with a 1:38.261 as the battle for the top of the timings intensified.

Further down the order, Ugo Ugochukwu crossed the line in ninth, 0.778 seconds off Yamakoshi’s benchmark. Replays showed the championship contender running wide at Turn 2, costing him valuable time on his lap.

Kato found further improvement on his next attempt, lowering his time to a 1:38.222, but Matteo De Palo had the final say, jumping to the top of the timings with a 1:38.142 to go fastest in Group A.

2026 F3 Italian GP Qualifying Group B: Slater claims pole position

The second segment got underway with the field returning to the pit lane before heading back out for their final runs.

With the slipstream worth almost four-tenths of a second in the opening sector during Group A, drivers were keen to find the right position in the train without being left at the front.

With just over three minutes remaining, Yevan David and AIX Racing were the first to make their move, leading the field out of the pit lane as the rest of the drivers followed. The late exit to the track left most of the Group B field with just one opportunity to set a competitive lap, putting added pressure on the final runs.

Giusti, who picked up a tow from Lacorte, crossed the line with a 1:38.626, but was quickly displaced by Rivera and Lacorte.

As the chequered flag fell, Freddie Slater delivered when it mattered most, shooting to the top of the timings with a 1:38.114 to claim pole position in the closing moments of Qualifying. Lacorte secured second with a 1:38.350, while Rivera completed the top three just 0.010 seconds further back with a 1:38.360. Campos Racing’s Théophile Naël skipped over the first chicane on his flying lap, leaving with him without a time in Qualifying.

2026 F3 Italian GP Qualifying results