04 September,2016 09:36 AM IST | | AFP
Mercedes Formula One champ Lewis Hamilton vrooms to pole position in Italian GP qualifying, leaving teammate Rosberg and Ferrari’s Vettel to start from second and third spot respectively
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton during the qualifying session for Sunday's Italian GP at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza on Saturday. pic/AFP
Monza: A happy Lewis Hamilton humbled his rivals on Saturday as he joined two of racing's legendary drivers in the record books by securing a dominant pole position for today's Italian Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton
The series leader and three-time defending champion was in untouchable form during a coruscating performance in qualifying as he outpaced Mercedes teammate and title rival German Nico Rosberg by almost half a second. Ferrari, with new updated power units, were also left gasping in pursuit with four-time champion German Sebastian Vettel, who was third ahead of teammate Finn Kimi Raikkonen, admitting "those guys ahead look like they're in a world of their own".
Rosberg's face and his struggle to explain the size of Hamilton's advantage was telling evidence of the 31-year-old Briton's supremacy as he drew alongside Juan Manuel Fangio and Ayrton Senna as a five-time pole-sitter at the famous old Autodromo Nazionale.
"Lewis did some good laps and that was it," said Rosberg.
"I had a good weekend until now - I just wasn't quick enough... Lewis had his best qualifying for a long time."
Hamilton has now taken three successive Italian poles, five in all to equal Argentine Fangio and Brazilian Senna and 56 in his career as he seeks to complete a hat-trick of Monza win and register his 50th career win on Sunday.
