'Furious' Hamilton concedes Mercedes 'deserve better'

Lewis Hamilton cut a dejected figure after qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix, claiming he was "absolutely furious" with how he had performed.

The 39-year-old will line up for the race at Monza in sixth, alongside Carlos Sainz on the third row.

However, George Russell qualifying third, and over one-tenth of a second off pole-sitter Lando Norris, underlined the pace in the Mercedes.

"I'm furious," Hamilton exclaimed on Sky Sports F1 when asked how he was feeling. "Furious. Absolutely furious.

"Because I could have been on pole. I think I could have been at least been on the front row and I just didn't do the job in the end."

When detailing where his lap got away from him, the 105-time grand prix winner highlighted multiple corners he got wrong.

"Lost a tenth-and-a-half [of a second] into Turn 1 and then from Turn 1 and 2, and then I lost another at the last corner, so no-one to blame but myself," he explained.

"Qualifying has been my weakness for a minute now and I can't figure it out. I'll keep trying."

Mercedes 'deserve better'

Hamilton also pointed out the improvements in the W15 from last weekend, at Zandvoort.

The British driver felt that given the car provided to him, Mercedes "deserve better" than what he able to deliver.

"Probably a little bit kicking myself over the next couple hours, and then ultimately, I've got to move forwards," he replied when asked how he will reset for Sunday.

"We have a good race car, the team have done an amazing job this weekend.

"The cars been feeling so much better than last race, and the team deserve better - maybe they'll get that with Kimi [Antonelli]," he added with a wry smile and a wink.