Leclerc set his best lap of 1.20.161 minutes, with second-placed Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) finishing second at 0.145 seconds. The Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) was third with 0.268.
“It was incredible. I knew the car had a lot of potential and I had to put everything together for a good lap,” said Leclerc, who took eighth pole of the season in 16 races.
Despite setting the second fastest time, Verstappen will start the Italian race from seventh on the grid after the team chose to replace the internal combustion engine of its Red Bull.
Verstappen, reigning champion and outstanding World Championship leader, is one of nine drivers penalized for changing parts in the car in this race.
The list includes the other Red Bull driver, Mexican Sérgio Pérez, Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Alpine), German Mick Schumacher (Haas), Finn Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), the Dane Kevin Magnussen (Haas) and the Japanese Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri).
The one who benefited most from these penalties was Briton George Russell (Mercedes), who will start from second place despite his sixth fastest time.
Dutchman Nyck de Vries, a Mercedes driver in Formula E, was hastily called by Williams to replace Thai Alexander Albon, who suffered from acute appendicitis.
De Vries had participated in free practice with an Aston Martin on Friday.
The Italian GP is the 16th race of the Formula 1 season, out of a total of 22 races.
Source: DN
