Max opens Italian GP weekend with P2 in opening practice
Published on 10 September 2021 by Stefan Meens
Max Verstappen clocked the second fastest time of the opening practice session of the Italian Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton was quickest around the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Hamilton’s Mercedes team mate Valtteri Bottas completed the top three.
Max opens his Grand Prix weekend with a run on the hard Pirelli tyres, which grants him third place, a second behind Hamilton. Soon after, the Dutchman switches to the medium compound to better his lap time.
As the track rubbers in at the ‘Temple of Speed’, the lap times tumble and teams are looking to prepare for qualifying simulations. Both Red Bull Racing drivers are the first out of the box sporting the soft Pirellis and they clock quick times accordingly.
Nevertheless, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton remains the quickest at the end of the session, having only used the hard and medium Pirellis.
Contest Italian GP: win a by Max Verstappen signed 1:2 scale model 2020 helmet!
Results first free practice Italy:
| pos | driver | team | time | gap | laps | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | HAM | Mercedes | 1:20.926 | 28 | |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | VER | Red Bull Racing Honda | 1:21.378 | +0.452s | 22 |
| 3 | Valtteri Bottas | BOT | Mercedes | 1:21.451 | +0.525s | 29 |
| 4 | Lance Stroll | STR | Aston Martin Mercedes | 1:21.676 | +0.750s | 23 |
| 5 | Pierre Gasly | GAS | AlphaTauri Honda | 1:21.719 | +0.793s | 28 |
| 6 | Sebastian Vettel | VET | Aston Martin Mercedes | 1:21.824 | +0.898s | 26 |
| 7 | Carlos Sainz | SAI | Ferrari | 1:21.914 | +0.988s | 26 |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | ALO | Alpine Renault | 1:21.926 | +1.000s | 24 |
| 9 | Daniel Ricciardo | RIC | McLaren Mercedes | 1:22.003 | +1.077s | 27 |
| 10 | Sergio Perez | PER | Red Bull Racing Honda | 1:22.039 | +1.113s | 23 |
| 11 | Charles Leclerc | LEC | Ferrari | 1:22.102 | +1.176s | 25 |
| 12 | Lando Norris | NOR | McLaren Mercedes | 1:22.103 | +1.177s | 27 |
| 13 | Antonio Giovinazzi | GIO | Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari | 1:22.270 | +1.344s | 26 |
| 14 | Yuki Tsunoda | TSU | AlphaTauri Honda | 1:22.530 | +1.604s | 31 |
| 15 | Esteban Ocon | OCO | Alpine Renault | 1:22.534 | +1.608s | 27 |
| 16 | Robert Kubica | KUB | Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari | 1:23.009 | +2.083s | 28 |
| 17 | George Russell | RUS | Williams Mercedes | 1:23.092 | +2.166s | 31 |
| 18 | Nicholas Latifi | LAT | Williams Mercedes | 1:23.442 | +2.516s | 30 |
| 19 | Nikita Mazepin | MAZ | Haas Ferrari | 1:23.445 | +2.519s | 23 |
| 20 | Mick Schumacher | MSC | Haas Ferrari | 1:23.551 | +2.625s | 23 |
