Italian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton takes pole with blistering lap to see off Mercedes rival Nico Rosberg

LEWIS HAMILTON blasted his way to a third successive pole position in the Italian Grand Prix.

The Brit’s Mercedes was simply untouchable and also smashed his team-mate Nico Rosberg, who starts in second on the grid.

Lewis Hamilton produced a dominant performance to secure pole position for the Italian Grand Prix

Hamilton’s superb lap means he now has FIVE poles in Italy, equalling the record of F1 greats Juan Manuel Fangio and Ayrton Senna.

It was an astonishing display of power from the Brackley-based team around this track, the fastest on the F1 calendar where 70 percent of the lap is at full pelt.

Hamilton was almost a SECOND quicker over one lap over the two Ferrari’s of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen.

The home fans here witnessed another example of the Italian team falling short.

Ferrari are without a win in 12 months and appear ill-prepared and disorganised, with the Italian firm’s President Sergio Marchionne admitting the team have “failed” in 2016.

Before qualifying, Force India confirmed that Sergio Perez would be staying with the Silverstone-based team for next season.

The Mexican’s decision to resolve his future means another spot on the 2017 grid is sealed and increases the feeling that options are now running out for Jenson Button.

Paddock sources believe that Williams could make a swoop for Sauber’s Felipe Nasr or even Canadian teen Lance Stroll, instead of resigning the Brit.

Button was coy about his future when quizzed by SunSPORT earlier this week, and he had little to smile about here after qualifying down in 15th place, although he will be bumped up to 14th, as Romain Grosjean has a five-place grid penalty for changing his gearbox.

Button said: “I thought we would do a little bit better. It was always going to be a difficult qualifying.

“All day I have had a little bit on Fernando but he has pulled it out in qualifying, the cheeky little monkey, but we will do what we can in the race.

“I still think we can race better than we qualify. Hopefully we can do that again.”

Meanwhile, Jolyon Palmer was eliminated at the first hurdle however, he did out-qualify his Renault teammate Kevin Magnussen.