Live text
Formula 1
Italian GP
F1 Italian GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP1 and Qualifying
The first practice session and qualifying for the sprint race at Monza
Live Standings
presented by
Stopped
Summary
-
Summary
- Bottas fastest in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix and starts F1's second sprint race from pole - but isn't credited with 18th career pole as per F1 rules reserving that honour for the sprint winner
- Alfa Romeo-bound Bottas will get grid penalty for Sunday's grand prix after taking new PU components
- Hamilton pipped to second, with title rival Verstappen due to start third
- McLaren team-mates Norris and Ricciardo complete top five, with Gasly beating the Ferraris and Perez to P6
- Vettel misses Q3 cut by 0.031s along with Stroll, Alonso, Ocon, Russell. Hamilton and Vettel come close to contact in the pits
- Tsunoda track limits deletion hands Russell Q2 berth, as Latifi, Schumacher, Kubica and Mazepin also drop out at first hurdle
-
Leaderboard
1. Bottas, Mercedes
2. Hamilton, Mercedes
3. Verstappen, Red Bull
4. Norris, McLaren
5. Ricciardo, McLaren
6. Gasly, AlphaTauri
7. Sainz, Ferrari
8. Leclerc, Ferrari
9. Perez, Red Bull
10. Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo
12 Days
07 hrs
05 min
00 sec
Full coverage
Check out our full coverage of Miami GP
Live Text
Sort by
Oldest first
Oldest first
Newest first
Good afternoon and welcome to Autosport's live text coverage of Friday action from Monza for the Italian Grand Prix.
In case you'd forgotten, it's the second trial of Formula 1's sprint format this weekend - so the timetable is a little unusual compared to normal.
We'll be getting underway with FP1 in a little over 15 minutes' time at 13:30 BST, before qualifying kicks off at 5pm BST.
After F1's first experiment with the sprint race (let's just call it what it is, shall we?) at Silverstone, there was plenty of mixed reaction to the spectacle. Jonathan Noble sat down with F1's Ross Brawn to discuss what was learned from the experience, and why it's keen to take action to address the criticisms: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/why-f1-is-ready-to-act-on-sprint-race-criticisms/6663890/
In the same discussion, it emerged that F1 is considering making sprint races standalone events in 2022, rather than a means of deciding the grid for Sunday's grand prix. Also, don't expect to see a victory lap on the back of a truck as happened at Silverstone. Full details here: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-considering-standalone-sprint-race-plan-for-2022/6663763/
Aside from discussions over a return of the sprint format, there's been plenty happening in the paddock over the past week since we were in Zandvoort - not least in the driver market. Unless you've been under a rock, you'll have seen that Valtteri Bottas will be moving to Alfa Romeo, with George Russell taking his place at Mercedes, while Alex Albon has been confirmed at Williams.
Pictures of Russell meeting Hamilton as an 11-year-old karter have been doing the rounds on social media ever since the announcement on Tuesday, and on Thursday Russell spoke eloquently of his memories of that day as if it were only last weekend. In fairness, I can remember being overwhelmed at getting an autograph from A1GP champion-elect Adam Carroll in 2009. Here's Russell on first encountering "superhero" Hamilton: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/russell-recalls-meeting-superhero-hamilton-for-the-first-time/6663784/
There are set to be plenty of eyes on Alfa Romeo over the coming weeks with the seat alongside Bottas the only one yet to be determined for next year. Incumbent Antonio Giovinazzi is one driver in the frame, F2 racer Theo Pourchaire understood to be another. But keep an eye out too for the driver in Giovinazzi's sister car this weekend, as Robert Kubica continues in place of Kimi Raikkonen - who was forced out of last weekend's Dutch GP by a positive COVID-19 test.
Kubica, don't forget, finished on the podium at Monza in only his third F1 start in 2006, sharing the rostrum with none other than Michael Schumacher and the man who would replace him at Ferrari in 2007, Raikkonen. Kubica also took a podium in 2008, sharing with Sebastian Vettel and Heikki Kovalainen in what for a decade remained F1's youngest-ever podium until being usurped by the 2019 Brazilian GP - following Lewis Hamilton's penalty for contact with Alex Albon that promoted Carlos Sainz Jr.
As you might expect, there are plenty of Ferrari fans in attendance this weekend. For a little insight into what it's like to race in front of the ultra-passionate Italian fans, why not bookmark a special edition of the Autosport podcast with guest Vitantonio Liuzzi looking back on an F1 career full of fits and starts? Listen in here: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/autosport-podcast-liuzzi-on-his-f1-career-and-italian-gp-preview/6663489/
Lights green
And we're underway for practice in Monza.
Immediately the track is full of cars looking to work on their set-ups for qualifying - remember, the cars enter parc ferme following this one-hour session, after which their set-up philosophy for the weekend will be locked in.
Most drivers have elected to start the session on the hard tyre, but a few have gone out on mediums. Those in the latter camp include Perez, the two Mercedes and two Haas drivers.
Russell is the only driver yet to venture out of the pits for Williams.
Sun
A quick weather update for you - it's rather overcast, but still warm. Air temps are 27.1 degrees Celcius, track temperatures pushing 39.5 degrees.
Quote
Norris reports his brakes are feeling "a little spongy". Not exactly encouraging at a circuit with so many hard stops - Monza all about straightline speed and quickly getting the car stopped and turned at the end of the long straights.
After the first timed laps, perhaps no surprise to see Hamilton go top on his mediums with a 1m23.614s. That's six tenths up on Perez, with a 1m24.270s.
Leclerc now goes quicker than Perez and slots into second as the fastest hard-shod runner on a 1m24.120s. Russell meanwhile has joined the fray on hards.
Tsunoda radios in to say his seatbelt is loose. I think I'd rather have slightly spongy brakes than loose belts, given the choice.
Perez improves on his fourth flying lap to go second again on a 1m23.191s, but Hamilton goes faster still on a 1m22.262s - some 0.92s faster.
As Leclerc has a moment at the first Lesmo and kicks up the dust on corner exit, Tsunoda radios in again to say his belts are now "all good".
Bottas has recovered the third place he held after the first timed runs with a 1m23.612s. Meanwhile Tsunoda's eventful start to the session continues - he's clearly not very happy with Mazepin and weaves over at him between the two Lesmos.
After Norris's trip through the first chicane bollards earlier, Verstappen becomes the latest driver to take 'the scenic route' - as my dad might call it.
Verstappen sets his PB to go fourth on a 1m23.999s, but is usurped for fourth by defending Monza winner Gasly in the AlphaTauri on a 1m23.778s.
Now Verstappen goes quicker again and moves up to third on a 1m23.349s - still on hards remember - while Vettel takes fourth in the Aston Martin on a 1m23.574s.
Vettel switched to mediums to set that time - he's still among the minority of drivers that have used the yellow-walled tyre thus far.
Helmet cam makes its return this weekend, this time with Russell carrying the on-board footage. He flicks down a few gears for Parabolica, but still takes it in fifth, nearly bouncing off the rev limiter. We like the helmet cam.
Norris has missed the apex at Turn 2 several times already, and now does so again. Autosport GP Editor Alex Kalinauckas is watching down at the first chicane and reports that the McLaren locked its wheels last time through.
Hamilton currently fastest in all three sectors, two tenths up on Perez as we creep towards the halfway point in the session. Both set their times on mediums, while Verstappen (+1.0s) was on hards when he set his time. Bottas (+1.3s) was also on mediums, but as ever it's tricky to tell what fuel loads everybody is running.
Verstappen has now switched to mediums - but it's Perez who makes the first impression on the leaderboard by setting fastest second and third sectors to go top on a 1m22.127s.
Verstappen improves but only goes third on a 1m22.571s, while Vettel also improves but stays fourth for Aston on a 1m23.119s.
Perez needs a good showing this weekend after a tough Zandvoort weekend where he was eliminated in Q1 and had to fight his way through from the back after an engine change, being outclassed by his victorious team-mate and Gasly's fourth-placed AlphaTauri. Can he bounce back at the track where he famously finished second for Sauber in 2012?
Verstappen reports that he has "no rear grip" exiting the first chicane. With traction zones so crucial to laptimes at Monza - you lose time all the way down the straight for every momentary loss in applying the power - that will be a key point for Red Bull's engineers to work on.
The Haas drivers have bolted on softs. That explains Mazepin's sudden jump up to P12 in the order.
The Alfa Romeos are looking good on the medium tyre. Driving for his F1 career, Giovinazzi goes fourth on a 1m22.957s, while Kubica has moved up to P11.
Leclerc won at Monza in 2019 and now charges up to second, just 0.049s behind Perez's benchmark time on a 1m22.176s. That is, until it is deleted for track limits at Parabolica.
Leclerc isn't the only one - Mick Schumacher has had his last two laps deleted for exceeding track limits at the same corner.
It's all change now behind Perez and Hamilton at the top. Into third has gone Gasly, with his pursuer from last year Sainz once again right on his tail. Ricciardo has also moved up nicely into fifth.
Twitter
Leclerc atones for his track limits violation and goes up to third, before Ricciardo goes fastest on a 1m22.003s. That's a good lap from the Australian, who is still using the medium.
Published:
Page:
