Frustration is building for Lewis Hamilton at the Italian Grand Prix. The seven-time champion was left questioning Ferrari's execution once again after a 'very tough' qualifying session at Monza.
Hamilton narrowly avoided a humiliating Q2 exit by just 0.001 seconds, eventually qualifying fifth before being promoted to fourth following a penalty for Oscar Piastri. The Briton pointed to poor timing and a lack of rhythm as key factors in his struggles.
Strategic Blunder and Poor Execution Leave Hamilton Fuming
Hamilton admitted the car felt great in practice but lost performance in qualifying. He criticized the team's decision to wait too long in the pit lane during Q2, which left him without pace when it mattered.
“We sat and waited a very long time in the pit lane for the first run of Q2 and, for some reason, we just didn't have the pace. I'm not really sure why, whether it was tyre pressures, tyre temperature, whatever,” he said.
In Q3, Hamilton found himself out of sync, further compromising his laps. “When you're following another car, you arrive faster into a corner, so the braking distances adjust. It's all about getting into a rhythm, and I got really out of rhythm for Q3 run one,” he explained.
Leclerc Also Frustrated, Praises Gasly's Shock Pole
Team-mate Charles Leclerc also had a narrow escape, surviving Q2 by just 0.008 seconds. He acknowledged multiple background issues but refused to use them as an excuse.
Leclerc praised Pierre Gasly for securing his first F1 pole, saying Alpine executed perfectly and surprised everyone. “Now it's our job to try and recover what we kind of lost on our own today,” Leclerc added, admitting that a better starting position was achievable.
Read Also
Leclerc admits Mercedes' engine superiority and predicts Ferrari will struggle at Monza. Full analysis of the power deficit and its impact on the championship.
Hamilton unhappy with Ferrari role after Monza qualifying. 59-point gap is tough, Leclerc won't yield. Will the Scuderia set a hierarchy?
Fernando Alonso criticizes F1 regulations that have stripped Monza of its Tempio della Velocita status. Read the full analysis on Sportrik.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!