Hamilton reveals Monza qualifying plan: 'The tow is everything here'

Lewis Hamilton has revealed his qualifying plan for the Italian Grand Prix, confirming he will be 'looking for the tow' around Monza. The seven-time world champion, set for his second qualifying session in Ferrari red, also flagged a significant straight-line speed deficit after a difficult Friday.

Why it matters:

The tow is everything at Monza, where slipstreaming can be worth several tenths of a second. With Ferrari rotating priority between its drivers, Hamilton gets his chance this weekend — not because the team is favoring him over Charles Leclerc, but because it's his turn. The outcome could have implications for the title fight, with pundits suggesting Ferrari could influence the battle against Mercedes.

The Details:

• Hamilton ended FP2 fifth, roughly four-and-a-half tenths behind former teammate George Russell.
• Hamilton's plan: "The tow is everything here, so likely to be looking for the tow," he said.
• Leclerc's clarification: The Monegasque explained the priority system. "This weekend Lewis will have the priority, so I guess he'll go for the slipstream. If we can help each other trying to start the lap at the optimum kind of distance between each other, that will be done."
• Key weakness: Hamilton identified straight-line performance as a concern. "I was losing something like six tenths to George just in the straights, which is something we need to look into."
• Balance struggles: He added, "It was really, really hard to pull a lap out of the car... We made a couple of changes, but it shouldn't have really been bad."

What's next:

Ferrari will analyze Friday's data to improve the SF-26 ahead of qualifying. With Hamilton prioritizing the tow and Leclerc supporting, the Scuderia will hope to maximize its grid positions for Sunday's race.