Autosportfoto

Sainz: F1 drivers risk looking like idiots with Monza slipstreaming

Carlos Sainz Jr believes there is a risk of Formula 1 drivers looking like "idiots" if teams attempt slipstreaming tactics during this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

The combination of Monza's long straights plus the high drag produced by F1's 2017 cars means time could be gained if team-mates provide each other with a tow in qualifying.

McLaren employed that tactic at Spa when Stoffel Vandoorne - who was due to start the Belgian Grand Prix from the back of the grid - assisted Fernando Alonso in the team's attempts to get through to Q3.

Alonso, who could incur penalties at Monza this weekend, suggested he could return the favour to his team-mate in Italian Grand Prix qualifying this weekend.

But Toro Rosso driver Sainz said McLaren's slipstreaming strategy in Belgium constituted a "special situation", and was skeptical about how widespread that tactic would be among other teams at Monza.

"It is something that can be a bit of a curveball sometimes if you don't do it perfectly," said Sainz during an event for Toro Rosso sponsor Acronis ahead of the Italian GP.

"I think McLaren was a very special situation, because one of the drivers was taking a massive penalty, and he was going to start last.

"So they really went for it because it made sense.

"For others, you can either be a hero or an idiot if you don't do it properly. So it is something very, very tricky to put together."

Toro Rosso conceded that the recent Spa round and visit to Monza were likely to cause it problems, but Sainz's team-mate Daniil Kvyat said he had not given up on a good result.

"It's not an easy track for us here. It's totally straightline [speed dependent] here," he said.

"I like the track but we are not the fastest in a straight line, so it is probably about finding the right compromise in downforce and how fast you can go in the corners or a straight line.

"We can still fight for good positions here if you get everything right on strategy."

Kvyat added he felt engine supplier Renault had not made as much developmental progress this year compared to Mercedes and Ferrari.

"This year's Renault has been quite OK in the beginning, but to be honest there is some lack of development compared to Mercedes and Ferrari," he said.

"If we are honest, there is still something missing.

"I think they will always keep working and if they find something, they will find something quite big. But it hasn't happened so far."

Zdroj: autosport.com