Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari gave the Tifosi hope for a successful weekend at the start of the Grand Prize of Italy. The record world champion, who has experienced a difficult first season with Scuderia so far, made the fastest round in the first free training in Monza. His team -mate Charles Leclerc took second place behind with almost two tenths of a second.
However, the meaningfulness of the session looks even less than usual on a Friday afternoon. Formula 1 title candidate Lando Norris in the mostly superior McLaren was only sixth, his team rival Oscar Piatri exposed to the first training session. The Irish McLaren junior Alex Dunne was sitting in the cockpit for the World Cup leader and landed in 16th place.
World champion Max Verstappen in the Red Bull was fourth and landed behind Carlos Sainz in Williams. The Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli, who contested his first Grand Prix in Monza, became fifth in the Mercedes. Nico Hülkenberg took twelfth place in Sauber.
Formula 1: Hamilton weakened by starting place penalty
Hamilton takes part in the Grand Prix in Monza for the first time as a Ferrari driver, for the team it is the most important race of the season.
So far, the Englishman has not fulfilled the high expectations, and the appearance on Sunday (3:00 p.m./Sky) is also complicated: HAMILTON received a punishment in Zandvoort last weekend, which he served in Monza, he has to go back by five places in the starting line -up.
The World Cup fight is now a duel between the two McLaren pilots. According to Norris, Piatri has 34 points ahead in the Netherlands.