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Hamilton fears qualifying traffic "nightmare" at Monza

Lewis Hamilton fears another traffic "nightmare" in qualifying at Monza as drivers bunch up while trying to get a tow in the crucial Q3 session.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W11, Daniil Kvyat, AlphaTauri AT01, and Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo Racing C39

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W11, Daniil Kvyat, AlphaTauri AT01, and Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo Racing C39

Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

Last year, the top 10 runners slowed each other to such an extent that only McLaren Formula 1 team driver Carlos Sainz was able to get round in time to start his final lap.

On Friday FIA race director Michael Masi issued a warning about drivers running too slowly, and indicated that there would be a minimum out laptime in FP3 and qualifying in an effort to encourage drivers to get a move on.

"It was difficult in the past, and obviously we didn't even get to do the last lap last year," said Hamilton. "It's going to be interesting – I heard they might put in a minimum time that we have to do an out lap, maybe that will help.

"But I think it's going to be a nightmare on the last corner still, with everyone trying to get a gap. It's definitely going to be hard work."

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During practice, Lando Norris was one of several drivers to complain on the radio about slow moving cars.

"I think it's going to be very similar to last year with a lot of cars not wanting to go into first place," said the McLaren driver.

"So it's going to be tricky. It's going to be exciting to watch. It's going to be similar to last year. We already have seen in the F3 and F2, it's a similar story.

'It's going to be tricky to make sure you're in the right spot, because you want a slipstream because it helps a lot around here, but at the same time, you don't want to be too close and have too much understeer or problems in the middle sector in the corners.

"It's not easy, especially in the F1 cars this year, it's even worse than last year, so we'll have to wait and find out."

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