http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-4844768/Lewis-Hamilton-lands-record-69th-F1-pole-position.html
Lewis Hamilton lands 69th pole and smashes Michael Schumacher record to become F1's greatest ever qualifier
- Lewis Hamilton landed record 69th F1 pole position at the Italian Grand Prix
- Brit's eighth pole of 2017 takes him past Michael Schumacher's previous record
- Latest pole means he now stands alone as the sport's all-time one-lap specialist
- Italian Grand Prix qualifying report: Hamilton takes pole position in Monza
Lewis Hamilton became Formula One's greatest qualifier of all time after taking his 69th pole position at the Italian Grand Prix.
The Brit's tally takes him past past Michael Schumacher in the all-time standings ahead of his 201st grand prix at the Monza circuit on Sunday.
Despite the emergence of Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel in 2017, Hamilton has still proven to be the king of qualifying this term having landed his eighth pole position of the campaign, six more than his German rival as well as Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.
Lewis Hamilton set a new Formula One record for the most pole positions with 69
Hamilton's 69th career pole means that six men have now held the record outright since 1950
Hamilton claimed 26 pole positions in 110 races for McLaren and has 43 in 90 for Mercedes
The Englishman, 32, held his nerve in the shootout for pole as the rain, which wreaked havoc with Saturday's schedule, returned with vengeance in the closing moments.
Hamilton was the last to cross the line, and his lap was an incredible 1.1 seconds faster than Red Bull's Max Verstappen with his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo third.
It marks Hamilton's fourth consecutive pole at Monza and moves him above Schumacher's tally which he matched in Belgium last weekend
Hamilton however, will be joined on the front row by the Canadian teenager Lance Stroll with both Verstappen and Ricciardo to serve grid drops following engine penalties. And to cap a remarkable day for Hamilton his title rival Sebastian Vettel will start only sixth.
Michael Schumacher's pole at the 2006 San Marino Grand Prix took him clear on 66
Hamilton will now hope to capitalise on his 69th career pole to claim victory at a rain-hit Monza
The British driver has mastered the final qualifying practice at least once on every track on the current calendar, with only poles at Magny Cours in France, Istanbul Park and Buddh International Circuit in India eluding him throughout his career.
And he is unlikely to forget his record pole in a hurry following a frenetic qualifying session which lasted more than three-and-a-half hours.
The delay was caused by Romain Grosjean after he crashed in the wet and criticised the conditions as 'dangerous'.
Despite persistent rain, the one-hour session had started on schedule, but it was suspended after only five minutes when Grosjean lost control of his car at speeds approaching 190mph.
The Frenchman narrowly avoided contact with the barriers on both sides of the main straight, but with his Haas car in a precarious position qualifying was immediately suspended.
Hamilton has moved one ahead of Michael Schumacher's tally which he matched in Belgium
The 32-year-old was 1.148 seconds quicker than Red Bull's Max Verstappen in second place
'I told you it was f****** dangerous,' an exasperated Grosjean yelled over the radio. Veteran English race director Charlie Whiting called for the session to be red-flagged at 14:05 local time.
A number of track inspections were subsequently carried out, but with standing water still on the main straight, qualifying was no closer to getting under way as the clock hit 16:00.
Fans, who sought cover from the inclement conditions by wearing ponchos and huddling under umbrellas, jeered the on-going delays, and the lack of action - indeed only seven drivers posted a competitive lap in practice earlier on Saturday - will have left the sport's new American owners Liberty Media red-faced.
It was down to Ricciardo to provide the entertainment as he took control of a television camera and headed straight for the Mercedes garage. His shoddy camera work was beamed around the world.
The Brit gives the thumbs up after another pole position at the Malaysian Grand Prix in 2014
Hamilton poses after taking pole position at the German Grand Prix in Hockenheim in 2008
Meanwhile, Hamilton spent the delay engaging with his supporters on social media before sitting down with Valtteri Bottas and playing computer games from the comfort of the Mercedes team's hospitality suite.
When the session eventually got under way at 16:40, Hamilton, who so often revels in the wet, looked on course to get the job done. But his record pole came under threat in the closing moments as he sat in third place behind both Red Bulls.
Hamilton however, delivered a quite brilliant lap of one minute and 35.554 seconds to roar to pole. Stroll, 18, will line up in second for Williams and Frenchman Esteban Ocon is bumped up to third with Verstappen and Ricciardo to serve grid drops.
Vettel, whom Hamilton trails by seven points in the title race, was nowhere to be seen on Ferrari's home turf. He qualified only eighth, but will move up two spots following the Red Bull penalties.
Hamilton salutes the crowd after taking pole of the Canadian GP in Montreal in June 2010
Hamilton celebrates winning pole next to Sebastian Vettel and third placed Valtteri Bottas
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