JPM happy with front row slot
Williams ace Juan Pablo Montoya has admitted that second on the grid is the best he could have hoped for in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The Colombian set the fastest lap in F1 history, a 1m19.525 (162.968mph), in pre-qualifying, but reckoned that he would not have been able to match Rubens Barrichello's pole lap, even without the small errors he admitted to
It will only by the third time this year that Montoya has started on the front row this year, the last time was at the German Grand Prix in Hockenheim back in July.
"I think it has been a while actually since I have been on the front row," he said afterwards. "I think the team has done a really good job. What can I say? It was good in the first qualifying. We ran really fast. We knew Ferrari could go quite a lot faster than what they did. And they did you know...
"I made too many mistakes, but even if I had done the perfect lap I think they would have gone a little bit faster. It's good. We are on the front row. We will see how the race goes and what strategy Ferrari are on.
The team's director of engineering Patrick Head agreed that Rubens Barrichello's lap was exceptional. "It was certainly very special," he said. "Whether he is fuelled to the same level as his team-mate I don't know. It was looking a bit tight after sector two but Juan did a very good sector three and managed to split the Ferraris.
"You are always disappointed not to be in the lead. But I think to be on the front row is as good as we were expecting so. Juan Pablo did a very good job."
Head admitted that the team set its cars up for a dry race, despite weather forecasts indicating rain in the Monza region during Sunday.
"We are certainly aware of it (the rain), but according to our weather forcast it is in the 10-15 percent likelihood," he said. "It is difficult to set the car for wet conditions too much on the basis of 10-15 percent."
Antonio Pizzonia, celebrating his 24th birthday, qualified eighth on the grid for what is almost certainly his last grand prix of the year. The Brazilian made a mistake and ran over the inside kerb of the second Lesmo forcing him to back off on the exit. Even so Pizzonia's time was less than two tenths slower than Montoya's and impressively he also shattered Montoya's old Monza lap record in the pre-qualifying session.
Previous article
Saturday's Selected Quotes - Italian GP
Next article
Di Montezemolo fears for future
How Monza only added more questions to F1's sprint race conundrum
With two sprint races under its belt, Formula 1 must now consider its options for them going forward. While they've helped deliver exciting racing on Sundays, the sprints themselves have been somewhat lacking - creating yet another conundrum for F1 to solve...
Who should Alfa Romeo sign for 2022's F1 season?
OPINION: With Valtteri Bottas already signed up for 2022, all eyes are on the race for the second seat at Alfa Romeo next year. Antonio Giovinazzi is the current incumbent, but faces a tough competition from appealing short and long-term prospects
The "forced break" that was key to Ricciardo's Monza excellence
OPINION: Daniel Ricciardo has long been considered one of Formula 1’s elite drivers. But his struggles at McLaren since switching from Renault for 2021 have been painful to watch at times. Yet he’s recovered to banish those memories with a famous Monza win – built on a critically important foundation
How Verstappen is ruining his F1 title battle with Hamilton
OPINION: The Italian GP clash between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen followed a running theme in the 2021 Formula 1 title fight. Their close-quarters battles have often resulted in contact - and although Hamilton has shown a willingness to back off, Verstappen must learn to temper his aggression
Italian Grand Prix Driver Ratings
Two drivers produced maximum-score performances as, for the second year in a row, Monza threw up an unpredictable result that left several others ruing what might have been
Why Ricciardo was set for Monza F1 triumph even without Verstappen/Hamilton crash
The clash between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton was the major flashpoint the 2021 Italian Grand Prix will be remembered for. Yet by this point, race leader Daniel Ricciardo had already done the hard work that would put him in position to end his and McLaren's lengthy win droughts, on a memorable afternoon in Monza
Why Italian GP success is on for McLaren even if Verstappen dominates
For the second time in 2021, McLaren will line up for the start of a grand prix from the first row. It knows it has the chance of “glory” if things go well for Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris at the start of the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, but even if they just maintain their grid positions, signs from the rest of the Monza weekend suggest success is very possible for Formula 1’s other orange army
The F1 media favourite who lifted a broken Lotus
Graham Hill was nearly 30 when he made his Formula 1 debut. NIGEL ROEBUCK examines the life of a gifted racer whose talismanic personality defined an era
