Vettel says Leclerc didn't stick to Ferrari plan in Monza qualifying

Sebastian Vettel hinted at frustration with Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc after he was left to settle for a second-row start for the Italian Grand Prix amid a chaotic Q3 at Monza.

Leclerc took pole for the second race in a row, although he did so almost by default as only the Monegasque and Carlos Sainz made it past the line to start a lap at the end of Q3 as the field jostled to avoid going out without a tow.

Vettel had towed Leclerc in the first run of Q3, helping the 21-year-old take provisional pole, but amid the chaos roles were not reversed later in the session, much to Vettel's frustration.

"I was trying to get through, but there was a McLaren and a Renault blocking the road," Vettel told Sky Sports.

"I'm not happy with how it went, obviously. We didn't make it to get the second attempt like many others, but I thought internally we had a better way that we communicated this.

"I was the one out front alone in the first run and I shouldn't have been the one in front in the second run.

"Because of the last corner I wasn't but at that point it was too close anyways, plus the session was over so I couldn't even make it to start a lap.

"I can't be happy with that, it's not what we intended to do.

"He [Leclerc] should've been ahead all the way so… anyways happy with the car, the qualifying was good, the car was very, very good.

"I had a really good lap, I just had no tow so that's the difference between pole and not pole today."

Related

Sebastian Vettel

F1 legend Sebastian Vettel to make racing return in new driver lineup

• March 7, 2025 09:12

Latest F1 News

Ferrari F1 star signed to NEW ROLE as official statement released

• March 3, 2025 13:56