Lewis Hamilton led the way in Formula One practice for the Italian Grand Prix on Friday. He clocked the fastest lap time of 1:20.738 at Monza, narrowly beating McLaren’s Lando Norris by just 0.003 seconds. Norris came into this weekend after a commanding win in the Netherlands last Sunday.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz finished third at the team’s home track, setting the stage for another intense battle at the front. Meanwhile, Norris is the closest rival to Red Bull’s championship leader Max Verstappen, although he trails by 70 points.
Verstappen had topped the first practice with a lap of 1:21.676, almost a second faster than his performance at the same stage last year. However, he fell to 14th in the second session after skipping a qualifying simulation.
The first practice session saw some drama with Charles Leclerc placing second. Meanwhile, the session was briefly stopped when Haas’s Kevin Magnussen hit the barriers. Earlier, Kimi Antonelli, an 18-year-old Italian, made headlines with a major crash.
He is expected to replace Hamilton at Mercedes next season. Antonelli lost control of his Mercedes at the high-speed Parabolica corner, spinning off into the barriers just 10 minutes into the first session. Despite the crash, he had an encouraging start, setting the pace with a clean first lap.
After the crash, Antonelli apologized over the radio, saying, “Sorry.” Team boss Toto Wolff quickly reassured him, saying, “Kimi, all good,” and later confirmed that the accident wouldn’t impact the team’s driver decision.
Antonelli was taken to the medical center for checks, while the team worked to prepare the car for the second session. George Russell, who replaced him, finished sixth fastest despite a delayed start.
“It’s unfortunate it ended the way it did,” Mercedes spokesman Bradley Lord told Sky Sports. “But he (Antonelli) was on the limit, pushing hard from lap one, which is always good to see. It’s all part of the learning curve.”
Mercedes is expected to confirm Antonelli as Hamilton’s successor, while Hamilton, a five-time winner at Monza, will move to Ferrari at the end of the season. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri ended the day in fourth, improving from sixth in the first session, with Leclerc finishing fifth.
“There will be four teams fighting for the win,” said McLaren principal Andrea Stella after practice one. The race could be a nail-biter, as midfield cars attempt to catch the leaders.”
Newcomer Franco Colapinto, from Argentina, made his debut as a Williams driver after the team dropped Logan Sargeant. Colapinto finished 17th in both sessions and had his own scare when he lost control at Parabolica but managed to keep going. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez finished ninth in the first session but dropped to 15th in the second.
As the Italian Grand Prix weekend unfolds, all eyes will be on Monza, the “Temple of Speed,” for more exciting developments.
