Leclerc still expects Monza F1 "qualifying games" despite reduced tow

The Italian track traditionally sees drivers seeking tows on the straights in qualifying while also trying to create an optimal gap so that the car ahead doesn't compromise their cornering.

That has sometimes led to controversial situations, most famously in 2019 when cars left the pits late for their final runs in Q3, everyone backed up, and several drivers failed to beat the chequered flag to start their laps.

Leclerc thinks that despite the reduced slipstream effect, similar situations are set to occur again this year as the tow is still valuable.

"I think for the qualifying game, it probably will be the same, because even if it's less worth it, it's still worth it," he said when asked about slipstreaming by Motorsport.com.

"I mean, drivers will always go for that little last bit in qualifying, so I think it will always be trickier in quali than for the race.

"I think with these cars we can follow a bit closer in the medium and high-speed, but the tow is obviously worth a little bit less also in the straights.

"Having said that, I think it will be hugely dependent on whether there's a train of cars with the DRS. In that situation, it will be very, very tricky to overtake. If not, then I think it should be fairly easy."

Leclerc's teammate Carlos Sainz also expects to see some drama in qualifying.

"I think tows in Monza are always going to be an issue," said the Spaniard when asked by Motorsport.com about past qualifying controversies.

"But I think it's part of the show, part of the circuit nature, part of the of the qualifying tactics that you have in Monza.

"Even if people say 2019 was a mess and a show, I don't agree, I think it's part of racing. And there's just a lot of people that got it wrong, or there's like me who got it right!

"I'd just say that this is part of Monza tactics and strategy. And I think it's part of the beauty of coming here, that you have very strange qualifyings.

"And I think it's good to see even if sometimes you don't get a lap. I think this year is going to be again similar, because the cars are still very sensitive to slipstream and you want the tow."

Cars take position on the out-lap of a qualifying run in 2021.

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

GPDA chairman George Russell acknowledged that the subject of qualifying may come up in Friday evening's drivers' briefing.

"It's always going to be a challenge on given circuits," said the Mercedes driver. "This one because of the tow of the circuit, just trying to purely get a gap on a small circuit. No doubt we'll discuss it, we'll try and come to a good compromise.

"But ultimately, when we're all on track, nobody wants to be the first. If you're following the delta time, it's going to make pitlane activity probably the most dangerous point, because everyone's waiting as long as possible.

"It's always going to be a problem here. Maybe go back to single lap single car qualifying!"

Russell acknowledged that in the past it paid to avoid getting too close to the car ahead and thus losing downforce, but until they run close to each other in practice drivers won't know how the 2022 aero package will impact following around Monza.

"That's the thing. It goes both ways," he said. "If there's less of a gain, you may as well just do your lap alone as such, and I think historically speaking, there's been times when a driver's done a lap on their own and been surprised by their performance.

"We can all measure the straight-line speed gains we get when we are in a slipstream, but it's more difficult to say exactly, I lost half a tenth or one tenth or nothing through a corner.

"I think personally, it's not going to be the be all and end all. And there's a lot more to lose chasing that perfect tow than there is to gain."