This archive report was first published on 7 September 2019.
Published on September 7, 2019, the Italian Grand Prix qualifying session was marked by a farcical atmosphere, with eight cars timed out by the chequered flag.
Charles Leclerc, driving for Ferrari, secured pole position ahead of defending champion Lewis Hamilton, but the circumstances surrounding the achievement were shambolic.
Only two cars, Leclerc and Carlos Sainz of McLaren, produced final qualifying runs after clocking lap times on their first runs in Q3.
Leclerc expressed his gratitude at securing pole position, saying, "A big mess," and acknowledging the disappointment at the end of the session.
Hamilton, who qualified second, was less than impressed, stating, "Honestly, I have to be grateful we're on the front row to have a fight with the Ferraris," and adding, "It's a bit of an anti-climax, but we just timed out."
The qualifying session was marked by a lack of competition, with teams backing each other up to claim good slipstreaming positions, resulting in a procession that was more akin to a cat-and-mouse game.
