Prema Racing’s Antonio Giovinazzi has lost his front row start for the GP2 feature race at the Monza circuit after being excluded from qualifying.
Following the session in Italy his car was found to have had insufficient tyre pressures, breaching the GP2 technical regulations.
Giovinazzi qualified just 0.054 seconds behind his Prema team-mate Pierre Gasly to complete the front row of the grid.
He will drop to the very back of the grid, promoting Russian Time’s Artem Markelov to second place for the GP2 feature race start.
![Alpine Managing Director Steve Nielsen [pictured with Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore] is stern in his belief Mercedes has acted correctly](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Alpine-Steve-Nielsen-Flavio-Briatore-120x86.webp)
Arden’s Nabil Jeffri was also excluded from qualifying for the same reason, having set the eighth fastest time in the session.
He will also start from the back of the grid after stewards deemed his tyre pressures did not meet the GP2 regulations.
Gasly will start ahead of Markelov and Rapax driver Arthur Pic for the GP2 feature race, which takes place on Saturday afternoon.
![Alpine Managing Director Steve Nielsen [pictured with Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore] is stern in his belief Mercedes has acted correctly](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Alpine-Steve-Nielsen-Flavio-Briatore-350x250.webp)
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