ESPN rounds up the main talking points from qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix, a session which saw Lewis Hamilton become Formula One's most successful qualifier as he stormed to a 69th career pole position, overtaking Michael Schumacher.
Shock: It seemed like the rain might shake up the order slightly and Ferrari looked primed to capitalise after Sebastian Vettel topped Q2. But as the rain fell harder at the start of Q3, the Prancing Horse faded, with both Vettel and teammate Kimi Raikkonen unable to match the times being set by Mercedes, Red Bull, Williams and Force India. Red Bull's penalty will help them effectively gain one row on the grid, though Vettel will start sixth -- he has a big job to do if he wants to leave Monza with his championship lead intact.
Shocker: Most would give this to the long rain delay (see below) but this one should actually go to F1's current engine regulations. This should have been one of the best Q3's of the modern era and it was entertaining -- but the tension of the battle for pole was completely ruined by the fact both Red Bull's have hefty engine penalties coming their way. Fittingly, Hamilton claimed pole No. 69 on merit, but it would have seemed even more momentous had he been battling with two Red Bulls for grid position.
To run or not to run: Social media can be a weird place. After Romain Grosjean's crash prompted a red flag -- one which ultimately lasted just over two and a half hours -- plenty of people seemed keen to criticise FIA race director Charlie Whiting for the length of the delay and brand the situation farcical. The FIA is usually stuck between a rock and a hard place in these situations -- if a session is called off or delayed for rain, it's boring and apparently damaging to the spectacle; if a session goes ahead and a driver crashes violently, it was negligent to let it go ahead. It's a fine line to tread.
Numerous things complicate these scenarios. Pirelli's wet-weather tyre are not up to the extreme conditions we saw during the long delay, while the FIA has an obligation to ensure safety is always placed before the spectacle. As it turned out, the wait was justified -- the weather eased off and we got a session run in safe conditions rather than just releasing drivers into a potentially dangerous situation, with the pay-off being a genuinely exhilarating Q3.
History maker: Records are not a declaration of who is better than the other -- they change with time and different eras. However you slice it, whatever arguments you throw up, 69 pole positions in 201 races is a remarkable achievement and Hamilton is a worthy man to replace Michael Schumacher as the all-time leader.
Dan the (camera) man: As with the big rain delay in Austin several years ago, Daniel Ricciardo was one of the drivers to provide some light entertainment to F1's global audience. Grabbing an FOM camera, the Australian strided into the Mercedes garage and then to the team's pit wall, grinning throughout, leaving the Mercedes mechanics unsure whether to laugh or frantically cover the car from the Red Bull's driver's prying eyes.
Driver of the session: It's easy to credit Hamilton for pole position and it was a special lap under some pressure at the end, but two youngsters excelled. Esteban Ocon looked set to claim a front-row start before Lance Stroll's heroics -- enough to earn the Canadian this award. A front-row start beckons for the teenager tomorrow.