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Vettel storms to pole in thrilling Monza qualifying
13 September 2008 / Results / PhotosSebastian Vettel stormed to pole position ahead of Kovalainen and Webber in the most thrilling and unpredictable qualifying sessions seen for years. Felipe Massa qualified sixth while title rival Hamilton will start way down the grid in fifteenth.
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A sudden and torrential downpour ten minutes before the start of qualifying threw the first dice in the qualifying story for the Italian Grand Prix. Conditions were treacherous for the start of the first session, with visibility behind another car virtually zero given the huge rooster-tails of spray.
Nick Heidfeld came unstuck at the very slippery Parabolica before Fernando Alonso skidded through the first chicane as conditions looked incredibly slippery. Lap times were constantly changing as everyone was on track just circulating in the conditions to ensure they are on track at the right moment.
The first session saw Barrichello, Piquet, Nakajuma, Button and Sutil drop out while Kovalainen, Hamilton and Vettel set the pace in the top three.
Q2 got underway in full wet conditions, but as the session went on, the rain intensified and Kimi Raikkonen had a big moment at Ascari, almost ploughing into the wall on the exit. Lewis Hamilton meanwhile was playing catch-up after starting the session on intermediates, but having to pit immediately for full wets, as conditions got even wetter.
Hamilton was struggling, languishing in fifteenth as the track got worse and had no chance of improving despite keeping his McLaren out of the wall after a spin at Ascari. The championship leader joined Kubica, Fisichella, Coulthard and Raikkonen in dropping out of the session, as crucially, title rival Massa squeezed into final qualifying by the skin of his teeth in tenth.
Conditions were still very wet for the start of the pole shootout, but with times for the top ten reset, Massa had everything to play for knowing he would start no lower than tenth.
In the most dramatic and unpredictable qualifying session for years Sebastian Vettel stormed to his first and Scuderia Toro Rosso's first ever F1 pole position ahead of Heikki Kovalainen and Mark Webber. Sebastien Bourdais concluded an amazing result for Toro Rosso putting his car in fourth ahead of Nico Rosberg.
Felipe Massa failed to make the most of his opportunity and ended up sixth on the grid ahead of Trulli, Alonso, Glock and Heidfeld.
A fascinating grid promises a thrilling race in prospect.
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