Hamilton surprised by Monza pole

MONZA, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 08: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and McLaren prepares to drive during qualifying for the Italian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza on September 8, 2012 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Monza (Italy), Sep 9 (IANS/RIA Novosti): McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton was surprised to take pole position for the Italian Grand Prix because he felt he had driven a poor lap.

Hamilton’s time of 1:24.010 seconds was good enough for pole, 0.123 seconds ahead of teammate Jenson Button and 0.237 seconds faster than Ferrari‘s third-placed Felipe Massa.

“I didn’t think that lap was anywhere near good enough,” he said on Saturday.

“Nonetheless, I’m happy and I’m really happy for the team because they’ve been doing a fantastic job.”

Traffic had ruined a potentially faster run, he said.

“I was up, I think, a couple of tenths in my second lap but I was in a train of cars: Kimi (Raikkonen) and two Ferraris in front.”

Despite locking out the front row, Hamilton and Button said they would not agree a strategy for negotiating the first corner of Sunday’s race.

“You can’t plan turn one,” Button said.

None of the first three drivers on the grid have won at Monza before.