LEWIS Hamilton qualified only fifth for the 2010 Italian Grand Prix at Monza today (Saturday) as Fernando Alonso took pole position for Ferrari.

The 25-year-old Formula 1 driver from Herts will start on the third row around Monza’s famous tarmac tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon.

McLaren ace Lewis, using a flatter rear wing on his MP4-25 without the F-duct, was beaten in qualifying by half a second by his team-mate Jenson Button, who was using the F-duct.

“It was the wrong choice,” admitted Hamilton afterwards.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso will go from pole with McLaren’s reigning F1 world champion Button alongside him on the front row in second spot.

Alonso’s team-mate Felipe Massa will start Ferrari’s home race in front of the Tifosi from third.

Red Bull’s Mark Webber snatched fourth place in the dying seconds of qualifying from Hamilton.

Sebastian Vettel will start sixth in the other Red Bull on the third row alongside world championship leader Hamilton.

Renault’s Robert Kubica was seventh for Mercedes in qualifying.