Charles Leclerc expects that he will have to help his teammate Lewis Hamilton during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix. The Monza circuit is well suited for slipstreams, where teammates help each other to set an even faster lap time at the Temple of Speed. This weekend it is Hamilton’s turn to decide whether or not to choose help from his teammate, Leclerc explains: “At Monza, Lewis has the priority to choose where he wants to start.”
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The slipstream has been a fixed part of Monza for years to find extra lap time during qualifying. However, due to the new power units and the Straight Mode introduced this year, it is expected that the slipstream will play an even more important role during this edition. Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli have already talked about the plan from the Silver Arrows to help the Italian get his teammate on pole. The home hero will start the race at the back of the grid anyway due to grid penalties.
‘Lewis has priority this weekend’
Ferrari is also considering the use of a slipstream between its two drivers, even though Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will start the Grand Prix from the grid positions they earn during qualifying. According to the Monegasque, his teammate is lucky this weekend because it is his turn to decide whether or not to choose help from Leclerc.
“Regarding the slipstream, we have always followed the same philosophy over the years. One time Lewis gets the priority to choose where he wants to start, and the other weekend it’s my turn,” Leclerc tells the media at Monza. “This weekend Lewis has the priority, so I think we will use slipstreams.”
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An important condition for Leclerc’s help to Hamilton is that both drivers do not get in each other’s way. “I don’t think we will sacrifice one qualifying lap for another,” says the Monegasque. “If we can help each other by trying to create the optimal distance between us at the start of the lap, then we will do that. I will try to catch a slipstream somewhere else and hope to put myself in the best possible position.”
Slipstream at Red Bull too?
The slipstream is also expected to become a tactic at Red Bull to help Max Verstappen in his chase to the front of the field. His temporary teammate Liam Lawson, like Kimi Antonelli, will start the Italian Grand Prix at the back due to an engine change.
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