Emotional Hamilton dedicates Monaco pole to F1 legend Niki Lauda
An emotional Lewis Hamilton put his Mercedes on pole for the Monaco Grand Prix and said: "This is for you, Niki."
Hamilton will start as the overwhelming favourite to win on Monte Carlo's tight streets on Sunday after he edged out team-mate Valtteri Bottas by 0.086 seconds with his final lap.
The exuberant world champion yelled over the radio in delight, before leaping out of his silver machine and jumping on to the catch fencing at Rascasse to celebrate with fans.
After securing his 85th career pole, Hamilton spoke for the first time about Niki Lauda - the non-executive Mercedes chairman who died on Monday - after he skipped his media commitments earlier this week, saying he was too upset.
"Niki would have wanted us to get in the car, and he would say 'give it a***holes'," said Hamilton. "He says that all the time.
"We wanted to do him proud and so far we have done that. We will try to pull out something special for him tomorrow.
"We have had a lot of success over the years, but I cannot remember a pole lap that means as much as this. It has been a difficult week for the whole team, and personally, too.
"There has been a cloud over us, but we have been trying to lift each other up and deliver for Niki."
Hamilton danced his way around the principality with the painted red halo, in tribute to Lauda, standing out on his silver car.
Lauda has been absent from the F1 scene since he underwent a double lung transplant last August.