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Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton joins Fangio and Senna with fifth pole at Monza

Lewis Hamilton will start Sunday's Italian Grand Prix in pole position after eclipsing his rivals during the final round of qualifying at Monza on Saturday. The world champion topped all three sessions in his Mercedes and beat stablemate Nico Rosberg by nearly half a second.

Lewis Hamilton said he is honoured to have matched the South American legends Juan Manuel Fangio and Ayrton Senna.
Lewis Hamilton said he is honoured to have matched the South American legends Juan Manuel Fangio and Ayrton Senna. Reuters/Max Rossi
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It was 31-year-old Hamilton's third successive pole at Monza and his fifth overall to equal the feats of the legendary drivers Juan Manuel Fangio and Ayrton Senna.

"I was right in the sweet spot," said Hamilton. "I was able to get an exceptional lap time out of it. What this team has achieved is phenomenal."

Hamilton will be bidding for a hat-trick of Italian wins to increase his nine-point lead over Rosberg in the title race.

"I feel proud and honoured to be mentioned amongst such greats as Senna and Fangio," Hamilton added."Never in a million years did I expect my name to be mentioned in the same sentence and I am very proud of that."

Pole position contrasts with last week's misfortunes at the Belgian Grand Prix when penalties relegated the Briton to last on grid. But he made his way through the field to take the chequered flag in third behind Rosberg and Daniel Ricciardo.

Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari will start Sunday's Grand Prix in third ahead of team mate Kimi Raikkonen. Valtteri Bottas in a Williams will be fifth ahead of Ricciardo's Red Bull.

The next stop on the Grand Prix circuit afer Italy comes in Singapore on 18 September. Five more races follow that before the final course of the season in Abu Dhabi on 27 November.

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