Vettel, king of the rain in Monza

F1 Grand Prix, GP Italy, Autodromo Nazionale di Monza

During an Italian qualifying session in extremely difficult weather circumstances, youngster Sebastian Vettel collected his first ever pole position. It's a big moment in F1 history as it's the first pole for his team as well. Heikki Kovalainen placed his car on the front row by finishing second, Webber took third.

Just like during the free practice sessions, the Italian Grand Prix qualifying session kicked-off under grey and rainy skies. As the lights turned green for Q1, the drivers came immediately on track with Sutil leading the pack onto the wet track.

Immediately it becomes clear that the qualifying session won't be a picnic. The drivers have trouble seeing through their visors due to the rain and heavy spray. Nick Heidfeld is the first driver to make a mistake as he spun in Parabolica. Luckily for the German, he could keep his F1.08 on track and continued his road.

Timo Glock, who clocked the fastest lap time this morning, seems to feel at ease in the rain. With 15 minutes left in Q1, the German is the only one who put down a lap under 1m40s.

With 10 minutes left on the clock, all drivers remain on track to improve their time on the extremely wet circuit. Heikki Kovalainen is currently the fastest man out with a time of 1:35:830 and is followed by his team mate Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel in his Toro Rosso.

Rubens Barrichello, who won two times at the Italian track, seems to have more difficulties with the weather conditions. He already survived two off-track excursions.

After the first 20 minutes of the Italian qualifying session, Adrian Sutil, Jenson Button, Kazuki Nakajima, Nelson Piquet Jr. and Rubens Barrichello are eliminated while Heikki Kovalainen leads the McLaren 1-2. Home driver Giancarlo Fisichella surprisingly makes it to Q2 in his Force India VJM-01.

As the clock starts to run for Q2, the drivers immediately take the track to put down a fast lap. With 10 minutes on the clock, it starts to rain heavier than before. Lewis Hamilton is in the danger zone as he remained in the pits for a long time. His team mate, Kovalainen, put down the fastest lap time again.

Raikkonen makes a mistake but is able to stay on the track. At the moment he's only 14th and this in front of the Tifosi. Not only Raikkonen but all the other big guns are in problems. Massa is only 12th and Hamilton last and 15th. The Italian grid can be a big surprise if things remain the same.

With 5 minutes left, Kimi Raikkonen enters the pits while Lewis Hamilton remains 15th. The Briton is really in trouble especially as Felipe Massa improved his time and is 10th now.

The leader in the championship is under a lot of pressure and makes a spin on track. Luckily for Hamilton he can continue, but this is another lap down the drain for the McLaren driver.

With two minutes left on the clock, Sebastian Vettel is the fastest man on track followed by Heikki Kovalainen and Nico Rosberg. Felipe Massa is only 10th, Kimi Raikkonen 14th and Lewis Hamilton 15th. What a surprising qualifying session in the rain.

Conditions don't improve as the big guns try everything they can to put their car in the top 10. Less than a minute to go. BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Robert Kubica spins as well but without damage. The young Pole is only 11th and thus eliminated.

After the second part of qualifying, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen, David Coulthard, Giancarlo Fisichella and Robert Kubica are eliminated. Felipe Massa just made it to Q3 as he put down the 10th time.

After Q1 and Q2, we can expect that the battle for the pole will go between Heikki Kovalainen and Sebastian Vettel, but in this weather you never know.

Felipe Massa doesn't want to take any risks and waits at the pitlane exit until the light turns green. All drivers, with the exception of Mark Webber, immediately exit the pits while rain keeps pooring down on Monza.

With 4 minutes left on the clock, Sebastian Vettel clocks the fastest lap with a time of 1:37:555. He once again proves to be a champion in the make. His team mate does very well too as he's on 4th position at the moment.

Conditions are still worsening and this with only 1 minute left, it will be hard to improve. The mechanics in the Toro Rosso pit are praying for a first pole position in the history of the team. Felipe Massa is only 6th and this while Sebastian Bourdais places his car on 3th.

Heikki Kovalainen is unable to improve which means that Sebastian Vettel takes his first ever pole, the first pole position for Toro Rosso as well and this in their home Grand Prix.