Valtteri Bottas says he opted against trying to benefit from Formula 1 teammate Lewis Hamilton’s slipstream during Italian Grand P🌼rix qualifying because Mercedes’ data suggested it wouldn’t make much difference.

Bottas had the choice to run behind Hamilton and use the tow advantage around the power-sensitive Monza circuit during the final runs of Q3 but decided against it to instead prioritise 𓄧running in clean air.

The Finn was ultimately beaten to pole position at the Italiaꦑn Gra🦩nd Prix by Hamilton by just 0.069s.

“It was a pretty close gap,” Bottas explained after qual𓂃ifying.

“I was expect🐻ing it always to be close and I’ve been feeling fast this weekend so obviously a bit d🍸isappointed to be second instead of first.

“Ultimately it 🧸came to the choice if I’m running first or second. I took the first because fr♈om our analysis it shouldn’t be much of a difference or maybe even better to be first, so you can really focus on the clean lap and not to have any messy out-laps.”

Bottas did benef꧙it from the tow on his fastest lap of qualifying, which he setܫ right at the end of Q2.

“I just experienced once in qualifying a tow, at the e🌠nd of Q2, and actually it didn’t feel too bad and that’s when I had the quickest time,” he said.

“Otherwise, just cutting the wind at the front, in the corners🍎 I was fast. It’s impossiblꦍe to say without seeing the data which one was better.”

Hamilton explained that t൩he differenceꦑ between having a tow and running in clean air was “very close”, saying it was not clear to Mercedes which approach was best.

“Valtteri chose to go first this weekend,” he added. “It was very, very close between having clean air and b✱eing in the tow.

“I can’t really tell you which one’s best. Some people say being in a tow’s best but you lose out 🧜in the middle and the last sector.”