Italian Grand Prix: Record-equalling feat for Hamilton in Monza

Becomes first man since Brazilian legend Senna to record hat-trick of Italy poles

MONZA: Championship leader Lewis Hamilton drew level with legendary racing drivers Juan Manuel Fangio and Ayrton Senna in the record books yesterday when he flew to pole ahead of Nico Rosberg for today’s Italian Grand Prix.

The three-time defending champion clocked a best lap time of 1min 21.135sec to outpace the German by nearly half a second.

The ‘silver arrows’ dominated the session to finish comfortably ahead of the Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen.

“I was right in the sweet spot today and I was able to get an exceptional lap time out of it,” said Hamilton. “What this team has achieved is phenomenal.”

It was Hamilton’s third successive pole at the Italian event and his fifth in all at Monza, a feat that equalled those of Argentine Fangio and Brazilian Senna.



It was also the 56th pole of Hamilton’s career.

Senna was the last man to achieve a hat-trick of poles in Italy.

Hamilton and Rosberg’s front row lockout was Mercedes’ 41st and enabled them to equal the record of dominance set by Red Bull pairing Vettel and Mark Webber in their heyday.

Hamilton, today, will be bidding to register a hat-trick of Italian wins with his 50th career victory to add to his nine-point lead in the title race ahead of Rosberg.

His pole made a pleasant change from last weekend’s grid when Hamilton started last in Belgium after penalties, charging through the pack at Spa-Francorchamps to claim third.

Valtteri Bottas was fifth for Williams ahead of Australian Daniel Ricciardo and his Red Bull teammate, Dutch teenager Max Verstappen.



Sergio Perez was eighth ahead of his Force India teammate Nico Hulkenberg with Esteban Gutierrez taking 10th for Haas.

“I feel proud and honoured to be mentioned amongst such greats as Senna and Fangio. Never in a million years did I expect my name to be mentioned in the same sentence and I am very proud of that,” said Hamilton.

A downcast Rosberg said: “The basic explanation for the gap is that Lewis did some good laps. I did a good job, up to now, but I wasn’t quick enough.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2016.

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