Why Bottas opted against using Hamilton’s tow in F1 qualifying

Valtteri Bottas says he opted against trying to benefit from Formula 1 teammate Lewis Hamilton’s slipstream during Italian Grand Prix qualifying because Mercedes’ data suggested it wouldn’t make much difference.

Bottas had the choice to run behind Hamilton and use the tow advantage around the power-sensitive Monza circuit during the final runs of Q3 but decided against it to instead prioritise running in clean air.

The Finn was ultimately beaten to pole position at the Italian Grand Prix by Hamilton by just 0.069s.

“It was a pretty close gap,” Bottas explained after qualifying.

“I was expecting it always to be close and I’ve been feeling fast this weekend so obviously a bit disappointed to be second instead of first.

“Ultimately it came to the choice if I’m running first or second. I took the first because from our analysis it shouldn’t be much of a difference or maybe even better to be first, so you can really focus on the clean lap and not to have any messy out-laps.”

Bottas did benefit from the tow on his fastest lap of qualifying, which he set right at the end of Q2.

“I just experienced once in qualifying a tow, at the end of Q2, and actually it didn’t feel too bad and that’s when I had the quickest time,” he said.

“Otherwise, just cutting the wind at the front, in the corners I was fast. It’s impossible to say without seeing the data which one was better.”

Hamilton explained that the difference between having a tow and running in clean air was “very close”, saying it was not clear to Mercedes which approach was best.

“Valtteri chose to go first this weekend,” he added. “It was very, very close between having clean air and being in the tow.

“I can’t really tell you which one’s best. Some people say being in a tow’s best but you lose out in the middle and the last sector.”