The drivers at the Italian Grand Prix look likely to have to deal with a wet qualifying session after rain disrupted final practice at Monza on Saturday.

Conditions were not as bad as in Friday morning practice, when the session had to be stopped when the heavy rain led to flooding in the garages.

But the weather was bad enough to force a 15-minute return to the pits for all drivers in the middle of the session.

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However, the positions have no bearing on the relative competitiveness of the cars heading into qualifying.

Hamilton, widely regarded as the finest wet-weather driver in Formula One, was more than 10 seconds off the pace – a situation that is unlikely to be repeated when grid positions are at stake.

The rain is predicted to continue on and off through the day and into race day on Sunday.

Glock's best lap was one minute 35.464 seconds, putting him 0.665secs ahead of fellow German Sebastian Vettel in the Toro Rosso.

Williams driver Nico Rosberg was third, 0.883secs off the pace.

BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld was the fastest of the drivers from a leading team in sixth place, with Ferrari's Felipe Massa eighth, just ahead of Renault driver Fernando Alonso.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, who needs to beat Massa and Hamilton here if he is to have a realistic chance of keeping his title hopes alive was 18th, just ahead of McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen and Hamilton.

Hamilton heads Massa by two points in the championship, with Raikkonen a further 17 adrift of the Brazilian.

1. Timo Glock (Ger) Toyota, 1 minute, 35.464 seconds (16 laps).
2. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Toro Rosso, 1:36.129 (11).
3. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams, 1:36.347 (13).
4. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota, 1:36.686 (9).
5. Kazuki Nakajima (Jap Williams, 1:36.706 (10).
6. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW-Sauber, 1:36.972 (12).
7. David Coulthard (GB) Red Bull, 1:37.015 (7).
8. Felipe Massa (Bra) Ferrari, 1:37.263 (6).
9. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault, 1:37.270 (10).
10. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Force India, 1:37.285 (9).
11. Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India, 1:37.504 (11).
12. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW-Sauber, 1:37.671 (7).
13. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull, 1:37.778 (8).
14. Nelson Piquet Jr (Bra) Renault, 1:37.833 (9).
15. Jenson Button (GB) Honda, 1:37.882 (11).
16. Rubens Barrichello (Bra) Honda, 1:38.689 (8).
17. Sebastien Bourdais (Fra) Toro Rosso, 1:39.319 (8).
18. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari, 1:41.164 (3).
19. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes,1:42.683 (6).
20. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes, 1:46.325 (8).

(BBC)

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