Leclerc gives Hamilton priority for Ferrari’s Monza qualifying run
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 4, 2026
Leclerc-Hamilton qualifying order
Charles Leclerc has handed Lewis Hamilton priority in choosing Ferrari’s qualifying run order at Monza, a move shaped by a circuit where the long straights make slipstreaming a major factor. Leclerc said Ferrari will try to give both drivers the best possible tow without compromising either lap, a task that carries extra weight at Monza because the timing of the run can decide how much speed a driver carries down the straight. Ferrari also has reason to be exact in qualifying because cars are struggling for top speed under the 2026 engine regulations. That makes track position in the qualifying queue more than a tactical preference. It can decide whether a driver gets a clean lap or loses the advantage of a tow. The arrangement puts Hamilton first in line for a key team decision at Monza, where the balance between helping one driver and protecting the other can shift from lap to lap.
Monza Ferrari upgrades
Ferrari will arrive at Monza with its second and final permitted engine upgrade of the year, along with aerodynamic and power unit updates, as it looks to sharpen its package for Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix. The timing matters because Ferrari is trying to give Hamilton and Leclerc the best chance of winning on home soil, and Monza offers one of the clearest tests of whether those changes can translate into pace on the straight. The team has also been reviewing how it handles strategy after criticism that followed the Dutch Grand Prix. That review adds another layer to a weekend that already demands precision. Monza does not leave much room for hesitation, and Ferrari knows its margin for error gets smaller when strategy, engine performance and qualifying position all matter at once. The team’s upgrades and its run-order plan point in the same direction. Ferrari wants every possible edge before the race begins, then wants its drivers in the best place to turn that advantage into a result.
Dutch Grand Prix lessons
The Dutch Grand Prix still hangs over Ferrari’s Monza plans because Lewis Hamilton felt he lost a potential podium behind Leclerc at Zandvoort, where he was stuck on fresher tires and complained on the radio about being held up. Leclerc eventually gave up the position, but the episode exposed how quickly strategy calls can become a flash point when both drivers are fighting near the front. Fred Vasseur did not tell Hamilton the full strategy because he was concerned rivals might be listening, and that choice fed the criticism Ferrari is now trying to address. David Coulthard warned the team not to repeat that communication problem in Italy, and Juan Pablo Montoya said the first corner on Sunday could prove decisive because race strategy is often decided there. Montoya said whichever driver leads through the first chicane or on the opening lap will gain a major strategic advantage, and he added that the ongoing team-orders discussion between Hamilton and Leclerc could create more friction. Coulthard took the same basic line from another angle. Ferrari, he said, must not hide its strategy in Italy, and the fastest car on the day should determine the result.
