While the team have been sabre-rattling this weekend – team boss Toto Wolff’s
threat that one driver may be dropped in extraordinary circumstances caused
the biggest stir – the rules of engagement set before the season began,
formulated primarily at Rosberg’s demand, remain in place for this weekend.
The man who took all the blame for the Spa-Francorchamps crash has been hung
out to dry in public, but it does not seem to be deterring him from making a
similar attack at the start of Sunday’s race.
Asked what he would do if he found himself alongside Hamilton on lap two of
the race, in one of Monza’s several tight chicanes, the German said: “It’s a
question that I’m not able to answer. The message [from the team] is that we
keep on racing. Every situation is different.”
The pair, who attracted even more attention than the Ferrari president, Luca
di Montezemolo, making his traditional Saturday appearance in the Monza
paddock, were then asked if Wolff’s warning would be in their minds as they
approached the first turn.
“It won’t be ringing in my ears,” Hamilton said, another indication that he is
relishing the opportunity to seize the psychological edge for the first time
all year. “We are free to race. That was the decision last week so it
continues as usual.
“Big thanks to my guys in the garage, I’m very proud of the way they’ve worked
this year and dealt with all our ups and downs, they’ve done a great job.
It’s business as usual tomorrow, we’re free to race and I hope we get a
strong result for the team, hopefully a one-two.”
Rosberg hesitated briefly, before adding: “It’s not changed since before we
started the season. The message has been clear. There is no real change at
the moment, it is the same as always.”
Evidently, if we take these two are their word, the 90,000 inside the ‘temple
of speed’ will not be denied a ding-dong battle if they find each other on
the same piece of tarmac. The brilliance of Monza, the quickest race circuit
of them all, is that if they avoid one another at the first chicane, there
is the Variante della Roggia and the Variante Ascari to come, in a 53-lap
race.
The good news for Mercedes, fearful of their drivers depriving the team the
one-two finish the car deserves, is that the man making an audacious bid to
steal the title from their clutches starts down the field.
Daniel Ricciardo, who was won three races already this year, suffered in his
underpowered Red Bull and will start in ninth, one place behind his
team-mate, Sebastian Vettel. “Even though we expected a tricky qualifying,
I’m still disappointed,” the Australian said.
“Ninth is not something to get really excited about.” Unless he can conjure a
miracle on race day, and the Mercedes take each other out, he will lose
touch with the leading pair.
The afternoon was not much better for Ferrari and the visiting di Montezemolo.
As much as Kimi Raikkonen – who picked a bad time to be half a second slower
than his team-mate in front of the tifosi – hustled this legendary
circuit’s tight chicanes, kicking up gravel on the way, the Finn was way off
the pace. He will start 11th, while Alonso lines up seventh.
The Scuderia will at least be buoyed by news that Di Montezemolo’s
plans to spend three more years in the top job, contradicting wild
speculation this weekend that he was on the cusp of announcing his
departure.
As they have been all season, however, Ferrari were merely an irrelevant
sideshow to the battle between the Mercedes duo. After missing Saturday
morning practice, Rosberg always seemed to be on the back foot, with
Hamilton convincingly holding the edge all the way through qualifying.
On their first runs for pole, Hamilton was four-tenths faster. His team-mate
threatened early on, but faded to end 0.274sec adrift, giving Hamilton his
first pole position in what must have seemed like an eternity.
If he wins the Italian Grand Prix, wresting back the championship momentum,
expect a more exuberant celebration.