Lewis Hamilton Tops Practice Times at Italian Grand Prix Amidst Session Disruptions

Posted : 31 August 2024

Lewis Hamilton emerged as the fastest driver in Friday's second practice session for the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, narrowly edging out Lando Norris. The seven-time world champion clocked a lap time of one minute, 20.738 seconds at Monza, just 0.003 seconds quicker than Norris, who is emerging as a key contender to Max Verstappen's dominance in the championship. Hamilton's performance signals a strong start for Mercedes, especially with the team looking to gain momentum at Ferrari's home circuit, where Hamilton will join next season.

Norris, who recently secured a stunning victory at the Dutch Grand Prix, remains 70 points behind Verstappen in the drivers' standings. Despite being fastest in the first practice session, Verstappen faced a setback in the second session, finishing 0.872 seconds behind Hamilton and placing 14th. This result marks the fifth consecutive race where Verstappen has not secured a win, highlighting the increasing competitiveness among the top drivers.

Hamilton's impressive showing came amidst disruptions during the session, including a crash by Kevin Magnussen, which halted the practice for over 10 minutes. The accident occurred at the Lesmo corners and affected the flow of the session. Hamilton's performance, however, bodes well for the weekend, as he has claimed victory in two of the last four Grand Prix events. With his upcoming move to Ferrari, the Italian Grand Prix holds particular significance for Hamilton.

Mercedes' George Russell also had a notable session, finishing sixth, 0.348 seconds behind Hamilton. This result was achieved despite earlier damage to Russell's car caused by rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli, making his debut in F1, crashed spectacularly at the Parabolica corner during the first practice session, significantly damaging the front end of Russell's car. The 18-year-old apologized for the incident, which was described by Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff as a learning experience.

Antonelli's crash was not an isolated incident at Parabolica, as Carlos Sainz and Franco Colapinto also encountered difficulties at the same corner. Sainz nearly lost control, while Colapinto, who is replacing Logan Sargeant at Williams, hit the gravel but managed to continue. The corner's challenging nature, exacerbated by the resurfacing and high temperatures, suggests that further issues may arise over the weekend.

Lewis Hamilton Tops Practice Times at Italian Grand Prix Amidst Session Disruptions

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics