Lewis Hamilton on pole position for F1’s Italian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton was quickest around Monza in qualifying. Photograph: Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images

LEWIS Hamilton made it 11 poles out of 12 on Saturday to make himself firm favourite to win his seventh race of the season in Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.

This was also his seventh straight pole, matching the best performances of Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher; only Ayrton Senna, with eight, is ahead of him, while Schumacher’s season’s record of 15 is apparently there for the taking.

The Ferrari-mad tifosi had the consolation of seeing Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel finish second and third, with Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate, Nico Rosberg, back in fourth. Vettel and Hamilton are the only drivers to have won here since Ferrari’s last victory, with Fernando Alonso, back in 2010.

All day, indeed all weekend, it had been a procession for Hamilton, with Rosberg – whose solitary pole this year came in Spain – left behind to battle it out with the Ferraris. It was Hamilton’s 49th career pole.

The four casualties in Q1 were Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso – the sixth time the McLaren pair had failed to make it to Q2 this season – along with the Manor drivers Will Stevens and Roberto Merhi. Max Verstappen also failed to get through after he lost chunks of bodywork from his Toro Rosso, which resembled a clown’s circus car as it broke up.

In Q2 the losers were Pastor Maldonado (Lotus), Carlos Sainz (Toro Rosso), Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull) and Felipe Nasr (Sauber), with Daniel Ricciardo failing to set a time.

Hamilton said: “I’m really happy. The car’s been feeling good all weekend. I’m delighted with the team. Pole is always a great feeling. And our race pace tends to be quite strong.”

Raikkonen said: “We surprised ourselves. This is not our strongest place. It’s been a while.” His team-mate Vettel added: “Finishing second and third in qualifying is a fantastic result. And we were very close to Lewis, which encourages us for tomorrow.

“It’s my first time here in red. I was just trying to take it all in.” – Guardian.com