Welcome to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix, where McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button start second and third with Sebastian Vettel on pole.

ALONSO THROUGH TO TAKE THE LEAD! The Tifosi will love that!

WE ARE GO GO GO AT MONZA!

The grid forming after the warm-up lap. Can the British McLaren boys challenge German Vettel into the first corner?

The two DRS activation zones are on the straights after Lesmos and Parabolica. Click on the track icon below to read about the circuit and see the layout in more detail.

The grid is clear and the formation lap will begin shortly.

Track temperature of 41 degrees Celsius - good temperature for the tyres early on, but the rubber could blister later - humidity of 48 per cent. Wind speed 1.8m/s.

There are 53 laps of this 5.793km track to negotiate. Rubens Barrichello holds the record lap of 1:21.046, set in a Ferrari in 2004. The Q3 pole-setting time this year was 1:22.275.

Leave any supportive or constructive comments below as the start of this famous old race approaches.

Huge crowds as always at Monza, with Ferrari the fans' favourites as you might expect. Alonso their big hope with Felipe Massa also in the hunt in sixth on the grid.

Webber: "Strategy will be interesting to see how the DRS works." Two zones in action today, a bit of experimentation by the FIA. The Aussie title hopeful is fifth on the grid behind Alonso.

Hamilton does not think he could have beaten Vettel to pole - even if his final qualifying lap at Monza had been perfect.

The crews and drivers are on the grid, putting the final touches of preparation to the cars. The pitlane now closed. The race to start in 15 minutes at 1pm UK time.

Soft sunshine with a few clouds, but a dry race is expected despite the scattered showers predicted by local weather sources in the last few hours.

Vettel leads the standings from team-mate Mark Webber with Button and Hamilton also behind Fernando Alonso.

Sebastian Vettel maintained Red Bull's 100 per cent record of securing pole position in 2011 by topping the times in qualifying.