Italian Grand Prix: Qualifying Facts and Stats

After taking his debut win at Spa last weekend, Charles Leclerc secured his second consecutive Formula 1 pole position in a dramatic Italian Grand Prix Qualifying session. Here are some other notable statistics from Saturday at Monza.

• The Monegasque’s super pace secured Ferrari’s 21st pole position at the famous circuit as the manufacturer celebrates 90 years in motorsport.

• Sebastian Vettel failed to start a final qualifying run after mass confusion scuppered the final laps of many in the Top 10 shootout. The German has struggled to match the pace of his team mate this weekend and could only manage fourth fastest. The former world champion was out-qualified by his younger team mate for the seventh consecutive race weekend.

• On a circuit where the Silver Arrows knew they would struggle to match the Ferrari pairing, Toto Wolff described Monza as a damage limitation weekend for Mercedes. But both their drivers managed to split the Ferrari's as Lewis Hamilton secured his ninth front-row start at the circuit.

• Renault backed up a double top 10 qualifying in Belgium with their best Saturday result in over a decade. Both drivers will line up in the top six for the first time since the 2007 French Grand Prix, when Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen were behind the wheel.

• Lance Stroll reached the final part of qualifying for the first time this season en route to a P9 grid slot for tomorrow’s race. Monza was the scene of the Canadian’s last Q3 appearance a whole year ago. He also out-qualified team mate Sergio Perez for the first time this season, after the Mexican retired from the session with mechanical issues.

• Daniil Kvyat failed to out-qualify former Red Bull driver Pierre Gasly last weekend, but topped the Toro Rosso team mate battle this time around. Both men have previously had stints at the energy drink giant's senior squad before moving back down to the junior team.

• Lando Norris sacrificed his own qualifying to tow McLaren team mate Carlos Sainz on his hot lap. Penalties for mechanical changes had already dropped the Briton to the back of the grid ahead of qualifying, but his P14 finish is his lowest Saturday result since the German Grand Prix.

• Williams may still prop up the field, but George Russell has continually shown to be the faster of the team’s two drivers. The rookie is now the only man to have out-qualified his team mate in every race this season after another P19.