Sep.9 (GMM) McLaren has questioned Ferrari's slipstreaming tactics in qualifying at Monza.

The red cars endeavoured to give each other aerodynamic 'tows' down their home circuit's long straights on Saturday, but it went awry when Fernando Alonso's car developed a problem in Q3.

And Felipe Massa, who qualified a season-best third, said he got in his best lap once the towing was all over.

"I was always caring about the tow, to find a good tow, but then on the last run when I did my best lap I was completely outside of the tow, so it was better for me," said the Brazilian.

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren's team boss who saw Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button lock out the front row with more conventional tactics, suggested his Italian rivals might have been "a bit too clever" in focusing so much on slipstreaming.

"In practice we were getting tows," said Button, "but it was difficult to work out if it was actually quicker or not.

"It's something that, personally, I feel it's very difficult to plan something like that. It's difficult to get it right.

"You can concentrate too much on it and get your braking point wrong or something.

"The way we did was much better, just finding traffic (to tow) on the circuit, so it worked reasonably well," the Briton added.

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version

F1 News  F1 Schedule  F1 Line-up  Constructors' Championship  Drivers' Championship  F1 Tickets  Live F1 Coverage

Full Version: Formula 1 News  Formula 1 Schedule  Formula 1 Line-up  Constructors' Championship  Drivers' Championship  Live F1 Coverage  10 'n' Pole  F1 Regulations  The Forums  Motorsport Shop  F1 Merchandise  F1 Tickets  F1 Diecast  F1 Videos  F1 Games