Italian Grand Prix: Raikkonen on POLE in FERRARI front row

Kimi Raikkonen set the fastest ever time round an F1 Grand Prix circuit at Monza to take pole position in the 2018 Italian Grand Prix, ahead of Vettel and Hamilton.

Kimi Raikkonen is really the number two Ferrari driver, but his obstinance and brilliance sometimes come together to do something very special. Such was this afternoon in qualifying for the 2018 Italian Grand Prix.

With a fight for pole position for tomorrow’s race which looked to be between title contenders Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, although until Q3 it ahd looked to be between Vettel and Raikkonen.

But Hamilton took provisional pole on his first run in Q3 – itself a new F1 lap record – closely followed by Raikkonen and Vettel.

But in their final laps in Q3, Hamilton took provisional pole as he crossed the line, Vettel went over the line taking that provisional pole from Hamilton, and then Raikkonen did the same to Vettel to clinch pole.

It was a remarkable run by all three drivers; Hamilton will be astonished Ferrari beat him to pole, and Vettel will probably be upset he played second fiddle to Raikkonen. The Ferrari team will be overjoyed to have a front row lock-out tomorrow for their home Grand Prix.

Behind the battling top three, it’s Bottas alongside Hamilton for a Mercedes second row, Verstappen and Grosjean on the third row, Sainz and Ocon on row four and Gasly and Stroll on row five (nice to see a Williams in Q3).

Magnuessen is just outside the top ten after a tussle in Q2 with Alonso saw him miss out in Q3, with McLaren having another woeful time with Alonso starting in 13th and Vandoorne last.