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F1: Toro Rosso’s Vettel grabs surprise pole position in Monza

German Sebastian Vettel of Toro Rosso grabbed the first pole position of his career yesterday, topping the times during a rain-battered qualifying session for the Italian Grand Prix.

Vettel, 21, who now becomes the youngest driver in Formula One history to take pole, was delighted with his performance.

“It is just fantastic that this has happened. I can’t believe it myself. Before the session, I said that with all the rain I could go for the pole and I was only joking,” Vettel said.

“I really did not expect it and it is amazing. This is a dream come true. It is such a great day for us and for the team,” said Vettel, touted as the heir to Michael Schumacher. “We have made such huge progress in the last couple of years. But there was so much water out there and at the Ascari chicane it was just so difficult not to go off.”

“Now everyone will know there are two Italian teams in Formula One — one big one called Ferrari and us, we are also an Italian team, but a bit smaller,” he said.

Vettel made the most of heavy and incessant rain to seize the grid position on a day when the championship-leading Briton Lewis Hamilton could only manage to qualify 15th in the drenched conditions.

Hamilton’s McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen of Finland was second fastest and will share the front row with Vettel, who also delivered a first pole for his Italian team.

Australian Mark Webber was third fastest for Red Bull as the rain teemed down at Monza and Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais fourth in the second Toro Rosso — proof the team had judged the conditions perfectly.

German Nico Rosberg was fifth for Williams, ahead of Brazilian Felipe Massa, who was sixth for Ferrari.

His teammate, defending world champion Kimi Raikkonen of Finland, was down in 16th place behind Hamilton.

Italian Jarno Trulli was seventh for Toyota, ahead of two times champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Renault, German Timo Glock for Toyota and another German, Nick Heidfeld for BMW Sauber.



■ALONSO’S FUTURE

AP, MONZA, ITALY

Fernando Alonso’s Formula One future was further shrouded in doubt following Ferrari’s extension of Kimi Raikkonen’s contract.

The Renault driver had spoken openly about a possible future with Ferrari, but that door was slammed shut on Friday when the Italian team announced that defending world champion Raikkonen would keep his seat through 2010.

“Talking about 2010 or 2011, this seems crazy to me,” Alonso told reporters. “I cannot put my future two years forward. I want to win races as soon as possible.”