Lewis Hamilton says he was left “trying to ♍avoid carnage” in the final moments of qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix on Saturday at Monza after the field was bunched up, causing seven dr💙ivers to miss out on setting a final lap time.

As drivers slowed to avoid giving their rivals a tow on the warm-u⛄p lap before the final lap in Q3, Hamilton was one of seven drivers who crossed the line after the chequered flag come out, costing him the chance to improve his🥀 time.

Hamilton was left P𝔉2 on the grid, three-hundredths of a second shy of pole-sitter Charles Leclerc, but the session is under investigation for the final lap.

“Everyone was slowing right down, and blo♚cking the way, so you couldn’t really get through,” Hamilton said.

“It was pretty dangerous. I almost crashed a couple of times, trying to stay out of the way and guys braking ahead꧃ of me, and people co💮ming past me.

“It would have been﷽ nice to be able to compete on that last ౠlap, get to really thrash out the cars and see who really had the edge at the end. Unfortunately we all timed out.”

Hamilton explained howﷺ he was meant to get a tow from Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, but opted to overtake his teammate to try and make it to the line.

“I tried to get through. I was su꧑pposed to be behind Valtteri, but I overtook him knoꦺwing I needed to get further ahead, but I couldn’t overtake everyone,” Hamilton explained.

“They were weaving and braking. It was like tryin☂g to avoid carnage all of the time. We had a couple of people I think holding everyone up, trying to let peopꦏle pass by.

“It was a bit of an anti-climax, for all of you. Maybe thꦿey should have extended the session or something. I’m not really sure how we can get around this, everyone brake-testing and slowing down to let others past just to ge🐼t the tow.

“I wish I just went out earlier🌳, we🥂nt out there and did a clean lap.”