Lewis Hamilton says he gave his all to secure a record breaking 69th Formula 1 pole position in risky conditions.
The Mercedes driver topped all three qualifying sessions, most importantly the final top-ten shoot-out with a lap of 1:35.554 to beat Max Verstappen to the top spot by more than a second, despite worsening conditions as heavier rain began to fall at the time of the Briton's last minute lap.
That moved Hamilton ahead of Michael Schumacher's all-time pole record of 68.
"It's very hard to find the words to explain how I feel," said Hamilton, after the three-hour long qualifying session.
"I can't believe that so much time has passed, there have been some great experiences."
Describing the conditions on Saturday in Monza, the three-time champion said he was forced into taking a "big risk" as he found himself in third place, behind the Red Bull duo, before his final pole securing lap.
"It was difficult to see out there, difficult to see the lines," he added. "There was a lot of pressure for the last lap, there could have been a red flag or yellow flag, it was a big risk, I gave it everything.
"Back on the extremes, there was a lot more grip, more traction, clearing the water better, but we set the car up for the dry.
"It definitely makes it a bit trickier, it's a lot harder to tame it, it's more snappy, finding the dry patches, how quickly you get on the power.
"It's easy to get deep on the corner and then not get the exit [right], it's an amazing challenge."
