LEWIS GETS PASS MARK
At Monza
MERCEDES boss Toto Wolff last night hinted that he would tell Valtteri Bottas to move aside to let Lewis Hamilton win today’s sprint race at Monza. Wolff is in a bind because the seven-time world champion was unexpectedly beaten to pole by his team-mate, who ended up 0.096 of a second quicker on the super-fast track. Wolff has always tried to let his drivers race on equal terms but the title fight is so delicately poised that this luxury is not realistically open to him. Hamilton lies three points behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who was third fastest. There are three points on offer to the winner of the 18-lap tear around the 3.6-mile circuit, with two points for second place and one for third. Wolff said: ‘Nobody wants to use team orders because we are all racers and that is always ugly, especially if someone puts in a lap like Valtteri did today completely on merit. ‘We need to see how the race pans out after the first couple of corners and if the positions stay as they are and then make the call.’ The sense in hoovering up every scrap is underlined by the fact that Hamilton has both lost and won a championship by a single point, in 2007 and 2008 respectively. ‘Every point counts,’ said Hamilton, making his position clear. ‘The sprint can help, so we have to capitalise on it.’ It is only the second time a sprint has been staged, after its successful trial at Silverstone in July, and today’s result will determine the grid for tomorrow’s Italian Grand Prix proper. As for the qualifying session, it played out to thin grandstands in the early evening. Hamilton was quickest in Q1 and Q2 before Bottas produced his unexpected burst of pace. However, the Finn is running a new extra engine that will result in his going to the back of the grid for the grand prix itself no matter where he finishes today. Lando Norris continued his impressive recent form by qualifying fourth for McLaren, a place ahead of team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.
Italian Grand Prix, live on Sky Sports F1, tomorrow 2pm.