MONZA, Italy -- Following his historic lap at Monza, Lewis Hamilton thanked Red Bull pair Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo for making him work for his record-breaking 69th pole position.
A rain-delayed qualifying session culminated with a thrilling Q3 shootout at Monza, with Hamilton nailing his final attempt to jump ahead of the Red Bulls at the death. Though the Red Bulls came into the session knowing both drivers were due to serve hefty grid penalties for engine changes, Hamilton's late attempt meant he took pole on merit rather than by default, something he acknowledged when first asked about his new place in the F1 record books.