Conclusions from Italian GP qualifying

Hamilton claims all-important Monza pole
Claiming pole position is important everywhere, but at Monza it's absolutely crucial. Rubens Barrichello was the last man to win the Italian Grand Prix from anywhere other than the front of the grid, in 2009. In fact, seven of the last 10 victories have gone the way of the pole sitter.

So having seen his lead at the top of the drivers' standings cut from 19 points to nine in Belgium, it was important for Lewis Hamilton to re-assert his dominance over team-mate Nico Rosberg at the earliest opportunity.

Rosberg had outqualified his fellow Mercedes driver at the last three Grands Prix - extenuating circumstances in Spa permitting - and the time gap of nearly half a second suggests it may be beyond the German to get one over Hamilton this weekend.

His starting tyres may not be in the best shape, but the Brit will be very confident of leading from lights out to chequered flag on Sunday.

Three drivers go above and beyond
It looked as though the most impressive display of the afternoon was to come from Pascal Wehrlein, who made it through to Q2 in his Manor as his team-mate Esteban Ocon failed to even set a time due to a mechanical breakdown and will start from the back of the grid.

That result, however, was then gazumped - at least in grid position, if not necessarily outright performance - by Esteban Gutierrez, who managed to steer his Haas into Q3 for the first time in the team's history after claiming a stunning seventh spot in Q2. 

Eventually the Mexican ran out of steam slightly and finished 10th, but there will be real hope he can finally finish in the points again for the first time since 2013.

Finally there was Valtteri Bottas, who managed to bring a brief reverse to several months of Williams decline with a fine lap that secured him fifth place on the grid, leaving him sandwiched between the Ferraris and Red Bulls.

The Finnish driver hasn't finished above sixth in a Grand Prix since his podium in Canada, but will have to work hard on Sunday to try and keep Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen at bay.

A mixed day for Ferrari
In one respect it was a good start to the weekend for Ferrari. Their lockout of the second row of the grid will give them a great chance to close some of the 22-point gap that's developed between themselves and Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship.

The day, however, started with an admission from team president Sergio Marchionne that the team have failed to deliver their targets as they look as far as ever from delivering a first world title since 2008.

Of more immediate concern was the fact that the time gap between themselves and Mercedes at their home Grand Prix - where success is demanded - was far wider than they were hoping or expecting for it to be.

Armed with an engine upgrade, the Scuderia would have been hoping for a lot less than the eight tenths of a second between pole sitter Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel in third, while the German admitted that Mercedes were in a "world of their own" after qualifying.

"We are further behind than we were last year," he said. "In qualifying Mercedes seem capable of turning it up a little bit more. We are just not quick enough. The combination is car and engine and we are a little bit behind on both."

Farewell weekend is in full swing
First Monza brought about the retirement of Felipe Massa on Thursday, who will end his time in F1 at the end of the season, then it saw the announcement that Jenson Button won't be behind the wheel at McLaren next year.

2017, then, will be without two of the longest-serving drivers on the grid, with 91 podiums, 26 wins, almost 500 races and one (and so very nearly two) world championships between them.

Both have had frustrating seasons, highlighted perfectly by both failing to get beyond Q2 at Monza, and both clearly becoming agitated with life so far away from the podium.

While Button will still be involved at McLaren, and we may yet see him driving in F1 again, there is no doubt that the 2017 grid will be a poorer place without the two veterans, and we should enjoy them while we can.

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