Make sure you hang around for the podium celebration

Historic Monza positively oozes atmosphere.

And with its long straights and the highest average speed lap on the calender, this is one of the most dramatic places to see F1 cars in action.

It adds up to a ‘must-see’ race for any Formula 1 fan. Here’s what F1 Fanatics who’ve been to Monza have to say about the race.

Thestig84 sums up the race’s unique appeal:

For atmosphere and just the feel of the place it’s a must for any F1 fan. I’m so pleased I made the effort. Good luck and enjoy it.
thestig84

Graham ventured to Monza to see Rubens Barrichello’s victory in 2009 on his own – he tells of an “awesome atmosphere”:

I had three-day tickets for Section 26A of the grandstands (pit straight). I was in line with rows five, six and seven of the grid and had a great view of the Brawn and Force India pits as well as a giant TV screen just to my left.

I thought the race and atmosphere were awesome, I was awed by the history of the place. Monza is one of my favourite circuits so to be there was mind-blowing.

I went on my own and found this okay as there are usually a few other people who do the same thing. I met people over the weekend who I buddied up with on the Friday and Sunday, did my own thing on the Saturday.
Graham Maltby

If you are going on your own, a lot of comments suggest that the majority of fans at Monza are open and welcoming in sharing their love of Formula 1, so don’t be shy!

With advice on photography and also enjoying Brawn’s dominance in the 2009 Italian Grand Prix – Mystic Pizza:

I was at the Ascari chicane for the 2009 race. For any budding photographers, forget it – the cars are too fast and the fence is too high but although it was incident-less this year you could see a fair chunk of tarmac.

You can take in your own food and drink as these were pricey inside the circuit e.g. €6 for a large beer, €2 for 500ml bottle of water. There are a couple of local supermarkets that were cheaper but remember the Sunday trading laws and stock up earlier in the week.

If you have a grandstand ticket, the pit walkabout on Thursday was excellent and most of the drivers were signing autographs if you were prepared to be crushed. Said ticket allows roaming on Friday so for fairly good photos, aim for the grandstand opposite the end of the pit lane so you can get them when they are doing practice starts.
Mystic Pizza

Be sure to have a look at Jamey Price’s article from last week on Photography. Despite Mystic Pizza’s thinking that it will be difficult to get many pictures, the camera is still worth taking in case you bump into a famous face on Thursday.

If you have a three day grandstand ticket, do go on the Thursday. I promise it’s worth it! You get to see the pitlane (though finding your way into it for the first time isn’t as simple as you’d think), the teams and the drivers much closer than you otherwise would. If there’s a particular driver you want to catch, loiter outside their garage.

Often it’s a case of being in the right place at the right time – I managed to run into Nico Rosberg, Rob Smedley, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Stefano Domenicali and Luca di Montezemolo while just wandering around. The pit lane entrance is a good place to hang around to meet drivers coming back from their track walks.
Spiffy

Sebastian Vettel rounds Parabolica

Although many fans recommended walking the circuit, Rabs reckons he’s found the best General Admission vantage point:

Get there early and go to the inside of the Parabolica – entry or exit is your choice.

I went there in 2004 and did a walk on Saturday looking for where to watch the race from and found this to be best for General Admission.
Rabs

When you’re not at the track, Coefficient has advice on where to sample some fine Italian food:

I went to Monza in 2005 and stayed in Milan. The trip to the circuit is pretty bad because of the congestion but it’s worth it to take in a bit of the city in they evenings.

I recommend Ristorante Rigolo and a place called Biffi which is in La Galeria. Very nice food and wine.
Coefficient

Another traditional feature of the Grand Prix at Monza is the post-race track invasion and podium celebration. Thestig84 witnessed this first-hand:

I chose Parabolica for the track invasion. Just before the end of the race get your stuff ready and head for the gate it looks like people are going for. It’s amazing, every race should have it.

I sprinted down the main straight and just made it in time to hear the British national anthem playing for Brawn. The atmosphere is incredible, so much fun.
thestig84

Heikki Kovalainen checks out the Monza banking in 2006

Finally, you must find time during your visit to see the daunting old oval circuit, as Carlos explains:

The atmosphere at the “Parco di Monza” is superb, as long as this is one of the most beautiful parks in Europe.

So don’t hurry and take your time to do a walk round the park when there’s no activity on the track. You can easily see the “walls” of the old oval circuit in the middle of the trees. Awesome.
Carlos

If you’re going to Monza this year, find other F1 Fanatics who are going and read about Jamey’s experience of being at last year’s race:

• 2011 Italian Grand Prix discussion
• Monza – spectators’ experiences
• Jamey Price watches the Italian Grand Prix at Monza

We’ve got a special guide for fans who are planning to take pictures at the race:

• How to take great F1 pictures at Monza

And if you shoot any good videos during the weekend, be sure to let us know (by email or using Twitter).

2011 Italian Grand Prix

• Sebastian Vettel named Driver of the Weekend for Monza
• Rate the race result: 2011 Italian Grand Prix
• FIA steward Daly says Schumacher should have had penalty
• 2011 Italian Grand Prix: complete race weekend review
• Vote for your Italian GP driver of the weekend
• Red Bull: Vettel poised to clinch second title
• McLaren: Button leads Hamilton home again
• Ferrari: Alonso admits "the title is gone"
• Mercedes: Schumacher fifth after Hamilton battle
• Renault: Senna claims first points finish

Images © Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo, Red Bull/Getty Images, Renault/ LAT

Podium, Monza, 2010

If you’re heading to Monza for next week’s Italian Grand Prix, don’t miss your chance to get some great pictures of F1 cars in action.

Guest writer Jamey Price takes you on a photographer’s tour of Monza and points out some of the best spots to shoot from.

I have been fortunate enough to attend five Grands Prix, beginning with the infamous six-car fiasco at Indianapolis in 2005. I went to the United States Grand Prix again in 2006 and 2007 and was at Monaco in 2008.

Last year I made my first visit to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix. I cannot speak for all the circuits on the calendar but it is by far the most picturesque of the tracks I have been to.

If you’re going there next week planning to take some photographs, make sure you spend time researching where you want to shoot from to maximize your weekend of making images.

Pit walk

Heikki Kovalainen, Lotus, Monza, 2010

The Thursday pit walk is an excellent opportunity to get pictures. There are great images to be had and may be as close to the cars and drivers as you can get, unless you are very wealthy and have a Paddock Club pass.

Many teams do rolling pit stop practice which is a great chance to play with slow shutter speeds and watch the teams practice. Drivers also mingle outside the garages signing autographs for fans.

Because it’s Monza, don’t even bother with the big-name drivers. When I was there Alonso, Massa, Vettel and Webber were mobbed by a crowd of hundreds.

Instead, take a walk down the pit lane. The further you go, the smaller the crowds get and the better images you can make of drivers and cars. Use your feet and use your eyes and get those your creative juices flowing for the rest of the weekend.

Once the cars are on track, the real fun begins. Take full advantage of all the practice and qualifying sessions. Walk around the track, with your camera at the ready in case someone bins it or pops an engine. You have several hours of practice to see what works and what doesn’t – and that includes the non-F1 sessions too.

Curva Biassono

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Monza, 2010

Let’s start at turn 3, properly called Curva Biassono.

At first sight, you wouldn’t think that getting anything from turn three would be possible. But here we need to apply the technique of shooting through catch fences I described in “How to take great pictures at F1 races” earlier this year.

You can pretty much aim straight through the fence and shoot the cars at a high shutter speed and wide open aperture to more or less make the fence go away. This particular area will be better suited to shooters with nice glass that can go to aperture f4 or wider.

Remember, when you want the fence to disappear in the photo, stand as close to the fence as possible. Shoot wide open with a high shutter speed.

Alternatively, you can shoot a wider angle photo with pretty much any lens, just slow the shutter speed down to get some artistic motion blur shots of the cars screaming by you. I have seen quite a few of Darren Heath’s photos from inside the general admission areas doing this exact thing.

Last note: don’t forget your ear protection here! The cars are close and they howl past at full throttle.

Variante della Roggia

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Monza, 2010

On to the second chicane. If you stand facing turn the right-hand part of this corner, you will have a clear shot at the rear of the cars as they make the quick left then right of the turn. Use the “shoot through the fence” technique again, just play with it.

Once you’ve had a few minutes to try this spot, walk around and head up onto the grandstand. There is a photo hole facing directly up the track toward turn three where the cars will be coming straight at you. Kneel down on the front row and shoot through the hole in the fence. Just be sure you don’t block anyone’s view.

I also recommend heading up toward the very back of the grandstand and shooting some nice pan shots of the cars as they exit over the rumble strip at turn five. However, when I was shooting this spot during P3, I was one of probably 50 or 60 photographers trying to get the same photo.

Kerbs, Monza, 2010

If you want to be a professional photographer, you should see this mass of photographers and immediately keep walking. Make images that are different than everyone else’s or you will never stand out in a crowded world. Every one of those photographers probably has the same image, or something very similar.

Still, it is worth sitting for a few minutes, getting some pan shots and listening to the car’s engine bouncing over the exit rumble strip. It is an amazing sound for sure.

Lesmo 1 and 2

Mark Webber, Red Bull, Monza, 2010

Walk up the track toward the Lesmo bends. These corners create a particularly difficult challenge and you will need to be proficient at panning to make anything of it.

As I mentioned, Darren Heath has used this spot to make nice images of cars ripping into the second Lesmo with the big tall trees to create a very arty shot which clearly shows the beauty of Monza. Slow the shutter speed as much as you dare. It’s a difficult shot to nail, but it is possible: practice, practice, practice.

My favourite shooting spot is a little further on where the modern track passes underneath the old banking. The cars come screaming at you at over 200mph and the noise is something I will never forget.

This is a spot that not that many people know about or use to its full advantage. Wander around until you find a clear vantage onto the track and get to work. You can try panning but the speed of the cars and the direction of travel make getting anything with a slow shutter speed extremely difficult to get. But if it does happen to work, it works really well.

Make sure you walk over the bridge. There are a few holes in the fences but they were all filled up by photographers when I was there.

Parabolica

Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso, Monza, 2010

The last spot I recommend is turn 11, Parabolica. Use the grandstand on the outside of the turn which sits high enough over the catch fencing that you can shoot over it.

Try using a pan shot, but I will tell you it is difficult. I recommend a fast shutter speed to freeze the car as it powers through the tight 180-degree turn.

Finally, don’t forget to enjoy the race! Make sure you’re in a position to run out onto the track once the marshals allow the crowd to do so. It was an absolutely amazing experience that I will never forget. And I’m glad I have the photos to re-live it.

No pass needed

Infield Flags, Monza, 2010

I saw several comments on my previous F1 photography articles saying that my tips and tricks, while helpful, didn’t apply to those who don’t have press access.

All the vantage point I’ve described above and all the photographs you see were taken without and kind of press pass whatsoever. All that got me into the circuit was a standard three-day general admission ticket.

I’ll say it once, I’ll say it a hundred times: There is absolutely no reason that anyone with a camera at a Grand Prix can’t take photos that will rival any professional’s images from the weekend – certainly at a gorgeous track like Monza.

What sets the professionals apart isn’t just their access, it’s their creative ability. Now get snapping!

For more tips and tricks see my guide to taking F1 pictures published here in April:

• How to take great pictures at F1 races: Part 1
• How to take great pictures at F1 races: Part 2

Find other F1 fans who are going to the Italian Grand Prix:

• 2011 Italian Grand Prix discussion

Jamey Price is a professional freelance sports photojournalist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. His work has appeared in F1 Racing Magazine, The Racing Post and many sporting websites. More of Jamey’s work can be seen at www.jameypricephoto.com

If you want to write a guest article for F1 Fanatic you can find all the information you need here.

Guest articles

• How to take great F1 pictures at Monza
• Mid-season technical review part 1
• Steven's 51 F1 race visits in 25 years
• Top ten... Curious F1 coincidences
• Rate the race result: 2011 German Grand Prix
• Ben tries Jamey's F1 photo tips at Silverstone
• Adam watches an F1 race for the first time at Silverstone
• Kevin explores Brooklands: the world's first racing circuit
• Great city, not so great track - Steven on Valencia
• Why you should watch... Nürburgring 24 Hours

Images © Jamey Price

Monza may be the grand-daddy of the F1 calendar but it can still show those young Hermann Tilke whippersnappers a thing or two. It isn’t called the cathedral of speed for nothing.

The layout used today is very similar to that which Giuseppe Farina won the first world championship on 60 years ago. But even with three slow chicanes installed today’s cars will lap it at an average of 250kph (155mph) – 75kph quicker than they did in Farina’s time.

Autodromo Nazionale Monza, 1950

Length: 6.3km (3.9 miles)

Built by the Automobile Club of Milan in 1922, Monza held the Italian Grand Prix years before the world championship came into existence.

The first world championship race in 1950 was the last round of the season. It was won by an Italian driving an Italian car – Giuseppe Farina at the wheel of an Alfa-Romeo, Farina clinching the championship too.

The basic outline of the track was the much same as it is today, only without the chicanes. The cars headed from the start/finish line straight to the right-handed Curva Grande, then around Lesmo, back towards the pits and the right-hand corner which was then called Vialone.

In 1950 the final turn was not the same as the Parabolica used today, but a squarer pair of right handers.

The current Parabolica was created for the 1955 race – when the circuit also incorporated the famous oval. That boosted the lap length to 10km and made it one of few F1 circuits to include a crossover (see diagram here).

For a few years the organisers switched between configurations for the Grand Prix. The road-and-oval track was last used after the fateful 1961 race, when 15 spectators and Ferrari driver Wolfgang von Trips were killed.

A version of the track incorporating the road course plus the new Parabolica was first used in 1957 and remained until 1971. Peter Gethin won that year’s race for BRM at an average speed of 242kph (150mph) – not far off what the cars do on the modern circuit now.

Gethin was chased across the line by four more cars and all five were within six tenths of a second of each other. But the end of this era of classic Monza “slipstreamer” races was at hand.

Escalating speeds forced the organisers to slow the circuit down with two chicanes. These were built at the start/finish line and at Vialone, which was renamed after Alberto Ascari, who crashed and died there in 1955. Four years later a third chicane was added before Lesmo.

Autodromo Nazionale Monza, 2010

Length: 5.793km (3.6 miles)

The Rettifilio chicane was overhauled in 2000, replacing the former double-chicane with a single, very slow chicane.

The problem of corner-cutting has forced the organisers to make several changes to the kerbs. The new ‘combination kerbs’ built last year have been revised again this year for safety reasons.

The old oval is still there, and although it hasn’t been raced on for decades the cars pass under it every lap as they race towards Ascari at up to 200mph.

Monza in pictures

How F1 tracks have changed

• F1 circuits history part 1: 1950
• F1 circuits history part 2: 1951-53
• F1 circuits history part 3: 1954-57
• F1 circuits history part 4: 1958-60
• F1 circuits history part 5: 1961-66
• F1 circuits history part 6: 1967-70
• F1 circuits history part 7: 1971-74
• F1 circuits history part 8: 1975-78
• F1 circuits history part 9: 1979-84
• F1 circuits history part 10: 1985-89
• F1 circuits history part 11: 1990-93
• F1 circuits history part 12: 1994
• F1 circuits history part 13: 1995-98
• F1 circuits history part 14: 1999-2002
• F1 circuits history part 15: 2003-07
• F1 circuits history part 16: 2008 and beyond

Images © Alfa Romeo, Pirelli, Mercedes, Honda, Honda, Ford, BMW ag, Toyota F1 World, Renault/LAT, Red Bull/GEPA

Silverstone could eclipse Monza as F1's fastest track

The revised Silverstone circuit revealed yesterday could take Monza’s place as the fastest track in Formula 1.

Though F1 cars will hit higher top speeds at Monza, the projected average lap speed for F1 cars at the new Silverstone is 4kph faster than that achieved at Monza last year. Here’s why.

Fastest lap speeds in F1

The graph below shows the average lap speed of the fastest lap at three tracks in their Grand Prix weekends from 2000 to 2009. Times from all F1 sessions were counted:

Fastest average lap speed at F1's fastest tracks (click to enlarge)

Fastest average lap speeds for each track (highest in italics):

Speed-limiting rules hit Monza hardest

Rules brought in to slow F1 cars down have cut average speeds at Monza more than they have at tracks like Spa and Silverstone.

This because engine performance has a greater effect on lap time at Monza than aerodynamic downforce, and engine performance has been severely restricted in the past five years – due to the move from V10s to V8s in 2006, and the lowering of the rev limit in 2007 and 2009.

The teams run special low-drag aero kits at Monza to allow them to hit top speeds over 30kph higher than any other track on the calendar. Aerodynamic performance matters little over Monza’s chicanes.

At Silverstone and Spa the teams use a more conventional aerodynamic set-up because the tracks have more quick corners. As we saw earlier this month, largely unrestricted aerodynamic development over the winter means the cars are quite a bit quicker this year.

Silverstone’s changes

New Silverstone in pictures

The changes being made to Silverstone will make it quicker than the old version (and how often do we say that about an F1 circuit?).

Silverstone originally estimated F1 cars will lap the revised 5.9km circuit at around 1’23.13 – suggesting an average lap speed of more than 255kph.

When you consider that the cars will probably be flat-out from the re-profiled (but no slower) Club, through Abbey up to Village, and then flat-out from The Loop and down the new Wellington Straight, it’s clear the new stretch of tarmac will be quite a bit quicker than the one it replaces even with its two slow corners.

The re-profiling will cut out the slow Abbey chicane and Brooklands will be wider and faster.

Will all these changes add up to a faster lap speed than Spa and Monza? We’ll find out in July.

But even if it does, it may only prove fleeting. With more downforce cuts planned for 2011 including the double-diffuser ban, the initiative could swing back towards Monza.

Silverstone Arena circuit

• Silverstone boss explains why they didn’t use Tilke for Arena track upgrades
• Silverstone opens new Arena circuit, expects cars to hit 185mph at Abbey
• Silverstone Arena track laid (Pictures)
• Silverstone knocks down grandstands to build new Arena circuit (Pictures)
• 2010 British Grand Prix
• 2010 British Grand Prix discussion
• Silverstone – spectators’ experiences

Image (C) www.mclaren.com

Heikki Kovalainen couldn't match Rubens Barrichello's one-stop pace

A one-stop strategy worked wonders for Rubens Barrichello in the Italian Grand Prix. That, and an excellent qualifying performance against his team mate.

Meanwhile Romain Grosjean had an off-track adventure that seemed to go unnoticed by the TV cameras. This and more in the Italian Grand Prix analysis.

Lap 1

Italian Grand Prix - position change on lap 1 (click to enlarge)

The KERS cars didn’t make their usual multiple positions gains on the first lap at Monza. This was partly because three of them qualified in the top four places and so had few places to make up.

Three KERS cars – those of Heikki Kovalainen, Fernando Alonso and Romain Grosjean – managed to lose ground, being crowded out on Monza’s narrow straights. Alonso was edged onto the gravel by Vitantonio Liuzzi at the first chicane.

Giancarlo Fisichella made up three places, but so did the KERS-less Robert Kubica, who started in front of him.

One stop or two?

Italian Grand Prix - one stop versus two (click to enlarge)

Before the race began Kovalainen’s heavy fuel load meant he looked in with a good chance of winning. But right from the off he couldn’t maintain a competitive pace and lost a lot of ground.

As well as losing any chance of winning for himself he wasn’t able to keep the Brawn duo behind him even for the first few laps, which might have helped Lewis Hamilton later on in the race.

Barrichello’s performance was very impressive, starting on Saturday when he out-qualified his team mate in a heavier car. No wonder he didn’t want to change his gearbox and sacrifice his advantage on the grid.

What happened to Romain Grosjean?

Grosjean’s second lap was a surprisingly slow 1’36.625, while most drivers were getting into the high 1’20s:

Romain Grosjean's lap times (click to enlarge)

What happened? Adam wrote in with a likely explanation:

Just thought you might like to see my picture of what happened to Grosjean the TV cameras didn’t catch. It was an amazing save on the exit of Parabolica!

Grosjean spinning at Parabolica (picture courtesy of Adam)

Adam saw the spin on lap two – there’s another picture of Grosjean’s spin here. Looks like the new Renault driver had some inconsistent laps in his final stint too, though they might have been because he was being lapped.

Fastest laps

Race charts

Italian Grand Prix race chart (click to enlarge)

There was little racing elsewhere in the field but Alonso deserves praise for his lap four pass on Kovalainen. Executed in an only slightly light car, and one that’s no match for the McLaren even with KERS, Alonso maintained his advantage until the end of the race and scored a solid fifth place.

There are many rumours about his future, and this underlines why it would be a waste for him to spend a third season in an uncompetitive car in 2010.

Italian Grand Prix lap chart

More on the Italian Grand Prix

• Barrichello leads one-two as Brawn are back on top (Italian Grand Prix)
• Italian Grand Prix in pictures
• Italian Grand Prix stats and facts
• Rate the race: Italian Grand Prix
• Italian Grand Prix result
• Rate the race: Italian Grand Prix
• Hamilton’s light car leaves him vulnerable (Italian GP fuel weights and strategy)
• Lewis Hamilton beats Adrian Sutil to pole (Italian Grand Prix qualifying)
• Italian Grand Prix qualifying in pictures

Fans flock onto the track after the Italian Grand Prix

The rain stayed away and in the Italian Grand Prix we saw Monza in all its glory: soft September sunlight and twitchy race cars with tea-tray rear wings lapping at stunning speed on a circuit steeped in history.

And best of all, the place was packed to capacity with some of the most passionate F1 fans you could meet. Here’s 72 photos of F1 at its best and most picturesque.

More pictures from Monza

• Italian Grand Prix qualifying in pictures
• Fisichella makes Ferrari debut and Liuzzi returns for Force India (pictures)
• Barrichello’s helmet designed by his children
• More F1 pictures

Images (C) Ferrari spa, Brawn GP, Renault/LAT, Daimler, Williams/LAT, Bridgestone, www.mclaren.com, Getty Images/Red Bull, Force India F1 Team, Toyota F1 World, BMW ag

Heikki Kovalainen's Mclaren has 20kg more fuel than the cars in front

Adrian Sutil will be able to go one lap longer than Lewis Hamilton at the start of the Italian Grand Prix.

But Heikki Kovalainen could be the man to watch as he’s fuelled to make his pit stop much later than the three drivers in front of him. Here’s the fuel weights in full.

Italian Grand Prix fuel weights and pit stop predictions

The start

First-lap collisions and penalties are highly likely at Monza’s tight first corner.

The new kerbs at the Rettifilio have been lowered, but drivers are still going to want to steer clear of them. Anyone who arrives at the first corner too quickly and cuts it will have to give back any places they’ve gained.

Second on the grid with a pair of KERS cars behind him, Sutil is a sitting duck. There’s little chance of him keeping Kimi Raikkonen and Kovalainen behind at the start. This also means Hamilton’s chances of losing the lead at the start are pretty slim, unless Raikkonen makes a particularly good getaway.

Fernando Alonso and Romain Grosjean also have KERS at their disposal at the start and lts of non-KERS cars in front of them to pick off. Each could threaten the championship contenders – Alonso the Brawns, and Grosjean the Red Bulls. As at Spa two weeks ago, this could easily get very messy.

Another word on those chicanes – during the GP2 race drivers who cut them three times were automatically given drive-through penalties. We could see more of the same tomorrow, particularly if it rains…

Weather

After qualifying, the clouds arrived and transformed Monza back into the dark, drenched spectacle we remember from last year. The GP2 feature race was delayed for 40 minutes and was started behind the safety car.

The rainfall radar shows a chance of further rain, potentially quite heavy, around 2pm local time tomorrow. We could yet get another wet Italian Grand Prix, made all the more difficult by the fact the F1 cars haven’t had any wet running at the track yet this year.

If the rain arrives we can throw most of our assumptions about the race out the window. A rolling start behind the safety car would help Hamilton keep his lead and guarantee him a clear view of the track ahead. But it might also play into the hands of those with more fuel on on board, who could stop later.

Even without the rain, we’ve got a good chance of an excellent race tomorrow. Who’s your tip for the win?

Italian Grand Prix

• Lewis Hamilton beats Adrian Sutil to pole (Italian Grand Prix qualifying)
• Italian Grand Prix grid
• Fisichella makes Ferrari debut and Liuzzi returns for Force India (pictures)

Lewis Hamilton and Adrian Sutil are side-by-side on the front row at Monza

Lewis Hamilton and Adrian Sutil will share the front row of a grid for the Italian Grand Prix tomorrow.

It’s the first time they’ve done so since 2005 at Zandvoort – when the pair were team mates in the F3 Euroseries.

A last-gap effort from Hamilton seized pole position from the Force India driver. Sutil failed to emulate former team mate Fisichella’s pole position at Spa two weeks ago by just two tenths of a second.

Q1

Sutil was fastest in two of the three practice sessions and went into qualifying as favourite to give Force India their second pole position.

With warm temperatures remaining into qualifying, most drivers started the session on the medium compounds tyres instead of the softs.

The last driver to set a time – Hamilton – went quickest, setting a 1’23.375. Behind him were the Brawns of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, following by Vitantonio Liuzzi.

With the lap times extremely close the line between being knocked out and reaching the second session was razor thin. With five minutes reminaing Giancarlo Fisichella in ninth to Mark Webber in 19th were covered by just half a second.

When Hamilton came out of the pits for his second attempt he arrived on-track as Sebastien Buemi was passing by. Hamilton stayed over to the right of the track but Buemi missed the first chicane, taking to the run-off area. There’s been no words from he stewards yet on whether Hamilton will get a penalty.

Buemi had another chance to complete a lap but despite being seven-tenths quicker than team mate Jaime Alguersuari, that only made the difference between last and second-to-last.

A late effort by Nico Rosberg wasn’t enough to get him out of the drop zone – or, indeed, ahead of team mate Kazuki Nakajima. Fellow Toyota user Timo Glock joined them in the bottom five, having been just 0.022s slower than team mate Jarno Trulli.

Drivers eliminated in Q1

16. Timo Glock, Toyota – 1’24.036
17. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams-Toyota – 1’24.074
18. Nico Rosberg, Williams-Toyota – 1’24.121
19. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso-Ferrari – 1’24.220
20. Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso-Ferrari – 1’24.961

Q2

Both BMWs made it into the second part of qualifying but neither made it any further. First Nick Heidfeld, then Robert Kubica pulled over with blown engines during the session.

The Mercedes-powered cars continued to lead the way, with Button’s Brawn ahead of Hamilton’s McLaren and Barrichello in the other Brawn.

Fourth and fifth were also taken up with Mercedes-engined cars: Sutil and Liuzzi for Force India, the last jumping out of the drop zone in the dying moments of the session.

That pushed Jarno Trulli down from tenth to 11th, and out of qualifying. With Fisichella stuck in 14th, Liuzzi was the only home driver in the top ten.

Drivers eliminated in Q2

11. Jarno Trulli, Toyota – 1’23.611
12. Romain Grosjean, Renault – 1’23.728
13. Robert Kubica, BMW – 1’23.866
14. Giancarlo Fisichella, Ferrari – 1’23.901
15. Nick Heidfeld, BMW – 1’24.275

Q3

The top ten comprised McLarens, Brawn, Force Indias, Red Bulls, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.

Most of them decided only to come out at the end of the session, but none of them beat the early time of 1’24.605 set down by Hamilton with their first attempts. Raikkonen took up second ahead of Sutil.

The final laps were classic qualifying drama – Sutil snatched pole position off Hamilton with his last effort, but lost time with a visible mistake at Lesmo. Hamilton punished him for it, taking pole position back with the last lap of the session, by just two tenths of a second.

Three of the top four cars were KERS-powered, with Raikkonen taking third ahead of Kovalainen. Alonso put his Renault, with KERS re-fitted, in eighth place.

Championship leader Button will start behind his team mate in sixth – but ahead of the Red Bull due of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, who qualified at the tail end of the top ten.

The fuel weights will be posted on F1 Fanatic as they are announced.

Top ten drivers in Q3

1. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren-Mercedes – 1’24.066
2. Adrian Sutil, Force India-Mercedes – 1’24.261
3. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari – 1’24.523
4. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren-Mercedes – 1’24.845
5. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn-Mercedes – 1’25.015
6. Jenson Button, Brawn-Mercedes – 1’25.030
7. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India-Mercedes – 1’25.043
8. Fernando Alonso, Renault – 1’25.072
9. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull-Renault – 1’25.180
10. Mark Webber, Red Bull-Renault – 1’25.314

Read more: Italian Grand Prix grid

But now forecasts are starting to indicate a chance of wet weather this weekend.

The Metrociel precipitation map shows rainfall arriving at the circuit on Saturday afternoon – potentially during qualifying – and remaining into Sunday. (See here for the location of Monza)

Remarkably, after decades of largely dry Italian Grands Prix, we could be about to get a second consecutive wet race at Monza.

This could play into the hands of the Red Bull drivers. Their cars have been strong in the wet this year, with Sebastian Vettel winning in the rain in Shanghai, as he did for Toro Rosso in last year’s wet Italian Grand Prix.