Reuters
Monza, Sept 3: Lewis Hamilton swept to a dominant pole position at the Italian Grand Prix for the third year in succession here Saturday with Mercedes teammate and title rival Nico Rosberg joining the Briton on the front row of the grid.
The pole was the 56th of the triple World Champion’s Formula One career and he equalled the record of five at the circuit here, held jointly by the late Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio and Brazilian Ayrton Senna.
“I’m obviously very happy today (Saturday). I was only made aware of that record as I came into this weekend,” Hamilton said. “Incredibly proud and honoured to be up amongst Senna and Juan Manuel. Incredible drivers.”
Hamilton, whose dominant time of one minute 21.135 seconds was 0.478 of a second faster than Rosberg with the rest looking slow in comparison, leads the German by nine points in the championship with eight rounds remaining.
He can celebrate his 50th
Grand Prix win, and third in a row at the fastest circuit on the calendar, Sunday to leave Europe with a firm grip on the championship as the circus heads to Asia, the Americas and Middle East.
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was third fastest with Kimi Raikkonen qualifying fourth for the Italian team’s home race at the circuit near Milan.
Finland’s Valtteri Bottas, for Williams, and Red Bull’s Australian Daniel Ricciardo filled the third row. Dutch teenager Max Verstappen,
who had been on the front row last weekend in Belgium, qualified seventh for Red Bull with Mexican Sergio Perez eighth for Mercedes-powered Force India.
