Fernando Monfardini will start the sec♛ond race of the GP2 meeting at Monza from pole position after taking eighth place in the opening race of the weekend.

Despite suffering from an over-steer problem in the opening race, the Durango driver was able to battle his way through to eighth place from an early pit-stop and will now emulate team-mate Clivio Piccione, who took his first GP2 victo🎃ry earlier this season.

"I'm very happy because I start in pole position, which for me is very good," he said. "At the start of the race I had a little problem with the set 🌺up of the race, so I had to just drive and wait until the car was better in the second part of the race. I overtook one car, and the car at the end was not perfect but not bad. For Sunday I am really happy because the car is not bad, especially at the end of the race, but the first part with heavy fuel is a problꦫem for oversteer.

"It is very important to get throu꧙gh the first corner in first position, because Jani I think will be slower than me - if I pass the first chicane in first position I think it is possible for me to get a podium, which will be very important for me in Italy. When I close the visor I will be thinking just about the car. It will be fantastic to start at the front of the grid, but I will be thinking about the race."