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Last year’s qualifying shootout at Monza turned into a sham with the top 10 seemingly doing their best to avoid taking the lead on the fastest track on the calendar.
FILE: Lewis Hamilton, British Mercedes driver. Image: AFP.
MONZA – Formula One world championship leader Lewis Hamilton made the fastest lap in practice for the Italian Grand Prix on Friday, but predicted “a nightmare” in qualifying, with drivers likely fighting for an advantage of wake.
Last year’s qualifying shootout at Monza turned into a sham with the top 10 seemingly doing their best to avoid taking the lead on the fastest track on the calendar.
Everyone was so determined to secure an aerodynamic towing of the car in front and not reveal anything, that nine drivers ran out of time for a fast second lap and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took pole.
Hamilton, who has won five of the seven races so far with Mercedes starting from pole, told reporters he expected a similar scenario on Saturday.
“It was difficult in the past. We couldn’t even do the last lap last year so I think it’s going to be interesting, ”said the six-time champion.
“I heard they could put in place a minimum time that we have to do a fast lap, so maybe that helps, but I still think it’s going to be a nightmare in the last corner with everyone trying to carve out a hole.
“It will definitely be hard work.”
Haas driver Romain Grosjean agreed that everyone would be looking for a trailer and suggested that Formula One should return to single-lap qualifying, with each driver on their own, for Monza.
“If it were up to me, it would be one lap per driver, one after another. Then there would be no problem with slow cars or slow laps or whatever, ”said the Frenchman.
“It will be difficult and it will be up to us to do the best job we can.”
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