Lewis Hamilton was at the top of the opening session in the Italian Grand Prix prior to Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton set his fastest round in the last five minutes to rock to the top spot with a best time of 1m20.117s on a set of soft tires used. Purple times in the second and third sectors ensured that the Brit ended his first Italian Grand Prix session in Ferrari Overalls in the first place.
Leclerc was second after he had set his best time with about 15 minutes to walk in the session. He was the fastest in the first sector, making Ferrari the fastest car through all sectors of the Grand Prix from home.
The only problem with Leclerc was that the stewards briefly consider taking over a sauber during a period of red flags to remove gravel from the circuit. However, the case was quickly rejected when it became clear that Leclerc could not prevent the slowly moving green car from being passed on, even though he had hit the brakes as soon as the red flags were flown.
Carlos Sainz was a late improver to complete the top three, the Williams driver 0.533S outside the pace. He brought Max Verstappen to the place with only 0.042s.
Verstappen was a narrow match for the Ferrari drivers in the middle sector, which is dominated by the Roggia Chicane and the two Lesmo angles, making it the least speed-sensitive part of the circuit. He nevertheless complained that his rear axle slipped on all tire connections, and points to the work that still has to be done in the second practice session.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli – who this time last year crashed heavily on parabolica, only two laps in a practice outing with Mercedes – completed the session in the fifth, although he made a journey through the gravel at Ascari who played a role in precipping a red flag.
Lando Norris climbed to the sixth in a fragmentary session for the Championship Challenger, which struggled early in the hour to determine a representative time, even with the advantage of stand-in teammate Alex Dunne who gave him a slipstream. A wide moment about the stones at the Lesmo Corners contributed to a red flag in the middle session to erase the circuit and was an indication of the Scrappy hour of the Brit.
Alex Albon made a double top-sifer finish from Williams, the Thai driver 0.956s of the pace and about as far as teammate Sainz as Sainz in the first place.
George Russell ended the session eighth and stopped at the side of the road near the arrival of the Ascari Chicane with a sudden loss of power. The Mercedes driver also ended the hour investigated because he had not taken the Escape Road correctly after he had run off the road.
Fernando Alonso was the ninth for Aston Martin for Isack Hadjar in the 10th, the Dutch Grand Prix Podium Getter was early about floor damage after too much curb at Ascari.
Gabriel Bortoleto led Sauber teammate Nico Hulkenberg in 11th and 12th for Liam Lawson, who came late in the session of strange noises from his turbo vehicle, although he came to the end of the hour without further problem.
Yuki Tsunoda became 14th in the other Red Bull Racing car, more than 0.6s slower than Verstappen in the fourth, but for Lance Stroll in the 15th.
Dunne, the McLaren Development driver who stepped in for Oscar Piaastri, was 16th and 1,489s from the pace and 0.585s slower than Norris.
Esteban Ocon was 17th for Haas for Pierre Gasly, who was furious to have been stopped twice by Williams Cars and Oliver Bearman.
Alpine Junior Paul Aron, who stood for the Franco Colapinto session, was the latter in the order and 0.5s slower than Gasly after surviving a twist to the Roggia Chicane without damage.
Result
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