Nico Rosberg will line up fourth on tomorrow's Italian Grand Prix grid, behind Lewis Hamilton and the two fast-starting Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel.

The German driver's chances of challenging his Mercedes team mate for pole position were reduced from the outset when his new upgraded power unit showed signs of weakness in this morning's free practice.

As a measure of precaution, Mercedes reverted back to Rosberg's older-specification Spa engine for qualifying.

"We had to go back to an engine that's done six races, and with every kilometer you lose a little bit of power, Rosberg said.

"At Monza, which is the absolute power track, you need a good engine. So it's very disappointing to have this happen here as it's a really big compromise. It makes the race tomorrow tough as I'll be a bit slower than I should. It's not ideal and it will be difficult against the Ferraris."

Rosberg also complained of handling issues which affected his performance in Q3, believing therefore that Ferrari's good performance was the result of his own Mercedes' relative weakness rather than the Italian squad's form at its home race.

Hamilton holds off Ferrari challenge for 11th pole of the season

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

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