No need for luck as Vettel bags Red Bull’s 13th pole

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, nearly half a second slower than the German in the final session, will line up alongside the championship leader on the front row with team mate Jenson Button in third place.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, last year’s winner from pole position at the fastest track on the calendar, qualified in fourth place in his team’s home race.

It was Vettel’s tenth pole of the season, four shy of Briton Nigel Mansell’s 1992 record of 14, and the 25th of his 75 race career.

Red Bull have now been on pole for the past 14 races, with Vettel also quickest at last year’s Abu Dhabi season-ender. “We thought it would be much closer than that,” said Vettel.

“I have to say the car is so good here. The balance is perfect.” Red Bull Racing have yet to get one of their drivers on the podium at Monza but Vettel, 92 points clear of Australian team-mate Mark Webber with seven races remaining, could well end that today.

“I didn’t have another half a second in the bag,” said Hamilton, who lapped in 1:22.725, of the demoralising gap between him and the 24-year-old Vettel. “Clearly we are very competitive here so that’s a great step,” he added.

Scotland’s Paul di Resta was pipped to Q3 by Renault’s Bruno Senna in the final moments of Q2, so his Force India car will start from 11th on the grid.