Lewis Hamilton edges out Lando Norris to set the pace in Monza
The Briton made a strong start as he seeks his sixth Italian Grand Prix success.
Lewis Hamilton edged out Lando Norris by just three thousandths of a second in practice for Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.
Hamilton has won in Monza five times – a record he shares with Michael Schumacher – and the seven-time world champion enjoyed a strong start with the quickest time of the day.
Norris, 70 points behind Max Verstappen in the standings with nine rounds to go, had to settle for second, one place ahead of Carlos Sainz at Ferrari’s home race.
Verstappen, fastest in the day’s first session, did not post a competitive lap on the speediest soft tyre compound, and finished 14th, 0.872 seconds behind Hamilton.
While Hamilton could celebrate being at the top of the order, Mercedes team-mate George Russell’s running was disrupted after Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli crashed while deputising for him in opening practice.
Mercedes faced a substantial repair job in the two-and-a-half hour gap between sessions following Antonelli’s 160mph shunt at the Parabolica.
Russell finally emerged on the track with 25 minutes gone and ended the running in sixth with only 19 laps to his name.
The one-hour session was red-flagged for 12 minutes after Kevin Magnussen crashed out. The Dane, without a drive for next season, lost control of his Haas through the second Lesmo before ending up in the wall.
