Ferrari Explains Decision Against Hamilton Tow for Leclerc at Monza

MONZA, Italy – Ferrari clarified its decision not to use Lewis Hamilton to tow teammate Charles Leclerc for pole position in the Italian Grand Prix qualifying session on Saturday. Hamilton, who is facing a five-place grid penalty, was ruled out of contention for pole, creating discussion about utilizing him for a strategic slipstream boost to assist Leclerc.

During a pre-qualifying press conference, Hamilton expressed willingness to lend support, saying, “If it meant getting Charles there, then I would be happy to play that role.” However, Ferrari opted not to impose this strategy during qualifying, believing that it could complicate their overall performance.

Leclerc qualified fourth, 0.215 seconds slower than eventual pole-sitter Max Verstappen. He acknowledged that not receiving a beneficial tow impacted his performance but felt satisfied with his individual lap. “I think we maximized the package that we had today,” he remarked. Nonetheless, he admitted, “It makes a big difference here,” referencing the potential advantage from a slipstream.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur explained the team’s rationale, stating that while slipstreaming could theoretically help, it would require sacrificing one car’s performance, thus risking their drivers’ morale. “It’s important for the team and for both drivers to be in a positive mood,” Vasseur said.

Leclerc stated that the topic of a tow had not been seriously discussed within the team. “It wasn’t decided that way,” he affirmed, indicating the necessity of keeping team dynamics intact during qualifying.

Even though Leclerc fell short of pole, he remained hopeful for the race. “Overtaking is not going to be easy,” he said, emphasizing the need to stay within DRS range to make any significant moves during the race.

Hamilton will start from the 10th position due to his penalty, despite qualifying fifth. He acknowledged that raising concerns about the strategy in qualifying was not beneficial for his own race aspirations. “I needed to be as high as I could,” he concluded.