Hamilton warns F1 it faces another accident

LEWIS HAMILTON warned a nervous Formula One community that it is risking another accident unless it legislates against the farce that blighted yesterday’s qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix.

Following the death of F2 driver Anthoine Hubert in Belgium last week, Charles Leclerc capitalised on the jockeying going on behind him to make himself an instant Ferrari favourite by taking pole in front of the partisans at the Italian Grand Prix. Leclerc was not even under pressure in the final seconds of the session because only he and one other driver, McLaren’s Carlos Sainz, crossed the line before the chequered flag had been waved.

Leclerc’s time from his first lap was unchallenged.

The rest of the field were caught out as they jostled for position to gain a slipstream from the car in front. They weaved and diced — sometimes slowly, sometimes fast. The sand ran out and their chance to put in another flying lap of their own had gone.

‘Junior class,’ said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. ‘Everyone looked like idiots.’

So qualifying finished with Hamilton sharing the front row with Leclerc.

Valtteri Bottas, in the other Mercedes, was third. Embarrassingly, Sebastian Vettel was only fourth best.

But the most important point, made by Hamilton, was with regard to the slipstreaming.

One false move in this game of cat and mouse could have resulted in a car going over another.

‘The out-lap was dangerous for us all,’ said the world champion. ‘It is a risky business. It won’t be until somebody crashes that they will change it. Improvements are necessary for safety and the spectators.

‘It was an anti-climax that we didn’t get to do the final lap. It didn’t look good for Formula One.’

The elbowing occurred despite a warning at the drivers’ briefing from Michael Masi, the race director, that offenders would be penalised.

Part of that, he said, was because the bunching up, which was also evident in Spa, looked stupid on TV.