Peerless Vettel emulates Senna pole mark

German finishes ahead of McLaren’s Hamilton, Button.

MONZA:

Sebastian Vettel became the first driver since the great Ayrton Senna to take pole on 10 occasions in different seasons when he posted the fastest qualifying time for the Italian Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old defending world champion in his Red Bull car overcame a minor error in his first run to grab the 25th pole of his career and his first at Monza – the venue where he celebrated his first race win in 2008.

He also maintained the Red Bull team’s record of taking the pole at all 13 races this year – Mark Webber having taken the other three.

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, nearly half a second slower than the German in the final session, will line up alongside the defending champion on the front row with teammate Jenson Button in third place. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, last year’s winner at the fastest track on the calendar, qualified in fourth place in his team’s home race.

Webber lines up fifth alongside Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and ahead of Renault’s Vitaly Petrov.

Vettel surprised at one-sided outcome

Vettel admitted that he was expecting a much more competitive qualifying race.

“We thought it would be much closer than that,” he said. “We knew we had more time in the car and I had some cars in front which always helps at Monza, but we didn’t think we would be on pole by such a big margin at a track that -- for the last two years – didn’t suit us. And we have quite a racy approach, so I’m happy.”

Hamilton, on the other hand, was stunned by Vettel’s speed.

“I didn’t have another half a second in the bank, maybe two or three tenths,” he said. “Sebastian was mega-quick today. That was untouchable.”



Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2011.