Valtteri Bottas says Mercedes will need to pull off the “perfect tow” in Italian Grand Prix qualifying to have a chance of challenging Formula 1 rival Ferrari for pole position. The Finn ended up 0.369s adrift of Friday practice pacesetter Charles Leclerc, though Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton was able to get within 0.068s of the Ferrari driver at Monza. But Bottas believes Mercedes’ best chance of fighting for pole will be if it can take the advantage of the slipstream benefit, given its straight-line speed deficit to Ferrari. Mercedes calculated Ferrari’s power advantage to be worth as much as 15kph on the straights at the Belgian Grand Prix last time out. It is due to be...
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