Ferrari close to the front at Monza, but Lewis Hamilton warns of specific SF-25 issue for the race. Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth at Monza but will start tenth due to a grid penalty.

F1 | Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth at Monza but will start tenth due to a grid penalty

Ferrari performed well in qualifying at Monza, but there are concerns for race management, as highlighted by Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time World Champion finished fifth in qualifying but will serve a five-place grid penalty, starting from tenth. Charles Leclerc will start fourth and aims to defend against the two Mercedes behind him.

Car balance

According to Lewis Hamilton’s analysis, Ferrari’s qualifying performance was aided by a car that is very fast on the straights. However, for the race, there could be an issue regarding tire management. The SF-25 experienced some difficulty in finding the right compromise with its setup.

“We lack downforce,” said Lewis Hamilton. “We are fast on the straight, but we lose three to four tenths in sector two. If we add downforce to the wings, for some reason we lose efficiency.” This detail could create challenges in managing the tires, especially given the hot temperatures expected during the race.

Lewis Hamilton’s impressions

Lewis Hamilton confirmed a positive trend in his performance, noting the closeness to Charles Leclerc. He highlighted that over the last two races, there has been clear improvement in his feeling with the car. The summer break apparently helped the team fine-tune the setup, allowing Lewis Hamilton to stay closer to his teammate.

The result on Saturday in Italy can be considered positive when looking at the gap to rivals and the comparison with the two Mercedes. McLaren remains the favorite, but Max Verstappen’s presence adds an important variable. Lewis Hamilton remains satisfied with the team’s performance: “We are fourth and fifth today. It’s great to be close to the others, and there has definitely been progress.” – the British driver concluded.

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