Hamilton delighted with Sutil

Monza pole winner Lewis Hamilton delighted with Force India Sutil's Saturday show

Hamilton delighted with Sutil

Monza pole winner Lewis Hamilton delighted with Force India Sutil's Saturday show

A beaming Lewis Hamilton maintained his and the McLaren Mercedes team's striking improved form on Saturday when he grabbed pole position for Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.

The defending drivers' world champion produced an exceptional lap in the closing seconds to outpace his close friend, German Adrian Sutil, by just two-tenths of a second. His last-gasp effort, in a lap time of one minute and 24.066 seconds, not only secured his second pole this year and 15th of his career, but also put a damper on the expected celebrations in India after it had looked likely that Sutil, in a Force India car, was about to finish on top.

Two hot! McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton (right) congratulates Force India's Adrian Sutil after the duo finished first and second at the end of qualifying for Sunday's Italian GP at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza on Saturday. pic/AFP

F3 teammates

"I am so happy with that and delighted to be up here with Adrian," said Hamilton of his lap and his former Formula Three teammate, who made the most of the power and performance of his Mercedes-Benz-powered machine on a perfect, sunlit afternoon.

"Adrian deserves it because they are so fast and it is great to see them up the front," added Hamilton.

"We had a great time together when we were teammates and I am happy for him. Congratulations Adrian."

Hamilton should have the edge over Sutil at the start, because his car is one of only six in the race expected to run with KERS, which may boost his speed when most required. Sutil pointed out that the last time he and Hamilton shared the front row of a grid was during their F3 days, at the Dutch circuit Zandvoort.

"It's a great feeling to be here, but the team has worked very hard and made a big push and we deserve it. I am so pleased for them," Sutil said.

The two Finns, Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari and Heikki Kovalainen in the second McLaren, were third and fourth ahead of the two Brawn GP cars of Brazilian Rubens Barrichello and championship leading-Briton Jenson Button.

Red Bull ninth

But it was a slightly disappointing session for the other championship-chasing team, Red Bull, as German Sebastien Vettel qualified ninth and Australian Mark Webber tenth, behind the second Force India of Vitantonio Liuzzi and two-times champion Fernando Alonso of Renault, who were seventh and eighth.

Hamilton, noting the positions of his rivals and their probable fuel loads, added that he expected a tough scrap in the rush to the first chicane and hoped to emerge in front, as he has done before at Monza.

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