Britain's 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton showed little emotion when on Saturday he finally ended championship leader and Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg's supremacy in qualifying by taking pole position for Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.
It was the 29-year-old's first pole in eight races dating back to the Spanish Grand Prix on May 10, and one that enhanced his hopes of trimming the German's 29-points lead in the title race, with seven races remaining.
"I'm very proud of my guys on my side of the garage," said Hamilton.
"They have been through the difficult times with me. They've done a remarkable job bouncing back, so we've done this as a team and it's great to have another 1-2 for the team."
Two days on from Rosberg's public apology and 24 hours after the team's final warning that more misbehaviour might cost them their jobs, it was time for the team ethic and corporate considerations even if the duo were battling for advantage in a bitterly-contested title race that has simmered and exploded this year.
Hamilton clocked a best lap of one minute and 24.109 seconds to take pole by more than two-tenths of a second ahead of the German, a gulf that endorsed the theory that it is the Briton who has the greater capacity for natural speed.
Finn Valtteri Bottas was third-fastest ahead of his Williams teammate Brazilian Felipe Massa, the British team leapfrogging ahead of the rest with a much improved performance that revived their vintage days.
Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen was fifth and Briton Jenson Button sixth for McLaren ahead of the leading Ferrari driven by two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso. His teammate Finn Kimi Raikkonen failed to make the top-ten shootout after qualifying 12th.
Defending four time world champion German Sebastian Vettel was eighth for Red Bull ahead of his team-mate Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who on Sunday will bid for a third consecutive victory. Mexican Sergio Perez was 10th for Force India.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2014.
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