F1: Leclerc on Pole After Bizarre End to Qualifying in Monza

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Brandon Dawe
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Charles Leclerc put his Ferrari on Pole Position for the 2019 Italian Grand Prix. Image sourced from @LeclercNews via Twitter.

Charles Leclerc claimed his fourth F1 pole position at Monza ahead of tomorrow’s Italian Grand Prix, following a bizarre end to qualifying.

Leclerc Does It Again

Charles Leclerc took his second consecutive pole for Ferrari at the temple of speed, following a bittersweet weekend at Spa-Francorchamps. Leclerc’s opening lap in Q3 was enough for the Monegasque to secure pole.

“I’m happy with the pole. It’s a shame but there was a big mess at the end… Let’s hope for a good race tomorrow.”

*Leclerc On The Qualifying Debacle*

“I think if you put a penalty to one, you put a penalty to all the drivers who were in Q3 because we are altogether.”

Chaos In Qualifying

A shambolic end to the session meant no one was able to improve. The drivers went out as late as possible and tripped over each other while hunting for a tow for their final runs. Consequently, several drivers were caught and failed to cross the line in time.

Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. were the only drivers to set a second time, but neither of them improved.

Lewis Hamilton will be starting second with Mercedes team-mate Bottas behind in third, having just pipped Sebastian Vettel in fourth for Scuderia Ferrari.

Hamilton: “I have to be grateful that I’m on the front row. We split the Ferrari’s, which as a team is a good position to be in.”

Bottas added: “Obviously the last run was a bit of a mess for everyone. Happy to be near the front. For sure I’m going to enjoy tomorrow.”

Vettel Loses Out

No tow during his first Q3 run proved to be the difference between the two Ferraris in Qualifying at Monza. Image courtesy of the FIA.

Vettel was to rue what could have been, after being only marginally slower than pole-man Leclerc. This was despite the German not receiving a tow on his one and only quick lap.

Vettel: I had a really good lap, I just had no tow so that’s the difference between pole and not pole today.”

“At the end I was trying to get through, but there was a McLaren & Renault blocking the road. I’m not happy with how it went.”

“We didn’t make it to get the second attempt like many others, but I thought internally we had a better way that we communicated this.”

Renault Heads The Midfield

The duo of Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg will be eyeing a potential podium in tomorrow’s Italian Grand Prix. Image sourced from @RenaultF1Team via Twitter.

The Renaults of Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg locked out the third row after showcasing their blistering pace in free practice. Carlos Sainz Jr. put his McLaren in seventh place, ahead of Red Bull’s Alexander Albon.

Lance Stroll managed an impressive ninth for Racing Point in his first Q3 appearance this season.

However, the sister car of driver Sergio Perez didn’t experience similar fortunes. A mechanical failure in Q1 meant the Mexican was unable to take part in the rest of qualifying.

Antonio Giovinazzi will want to put on a show for the Tifosi at Monza tomorrow afternoon. Image Courtesy of Pirelli Sport

After narrowly denying Alfa Romeo team-mate Antonio Giovanazzi a place in Q3 by just 0.002 seconds, Kimi Raikkonen crashed out. The Finn hit the barriers at Parabolica for the second time this weekend, and will start fifteenth due to having his gearbox changed after the crash.

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