Hamilton leads Norris and Max in...

Hamilton leads Norris and Max in…read more

Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheets in the second Formula One practice session for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, narrowly beating McLaren’s Lando Norris by just 0.003 seconds. Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, clocked a best lap of 1:20.738, building momentum ahead of a crucial weekend.

Norris, who dominated last weekend’s race in the Netherlands, continued to show his form, finishing a close second. Carlos Sainz was third in an upgraded Ferrari, raising hopes for a strong performance at the team’s home track, hinting at a closely contested race at the front.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s championship leader, had set the pace earlier in the day, leading the first practice with a lap time of 1:21.676. His time was nearly a second quicker than his benchmark in last year’s corresponding session. However, Verstappen dropped to 14th in the second practice session after opting not to complete a qualifying simulation. Despite his lower position, Verstappen remains a formidable contender, currently 70 points ahead of his nearest rival, Norris, in the championship standings as the race weekend at Monza progresses.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc had a solid showing, finishing second in the first practice session, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri ended the day fourth fastest, after taking sixth in the earlier session. Leclerc managed fifth in the second session, while Mercedes’ George Russell, after a delayed start, secured sixth.

The second practice session was momentarily halted by a red flag when Kevin Magnussen, driving for Haas, collided with the barriers. Meanwhile, Franco Colapinto, who made his debut as a Williams race driver, finished 17th in both sessions after the team dropped underperforming American driver Logan Sargeant. Colapinto also experienced trouble at the high-speed Parabolica corner, losing control late in the first session and veering into the gravel. However, he managed to keep the car going and returned to the pits without significant damage.

The day’s action also saw a significant incident involving Mercedes’ 18-year-old junior driver, Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli, regarded as Hamilton’s likely successor at Mercedes, brought the first practice session to a halt after 10 minutes. The young Italian, who had just celebrated his 18th birthday last Sunday, lost control of the car at the high-speed Parabolica corner, causing the rear of the vehicle to snap out of line and spin into the barriers. Antonelli had replaced George Russell for the session, marking his first outing in a Formula One car.

Despite the heavy crash, Antonelli was able to walk away from the incident unscathed and was later checked at the medical center. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff reassured the media that the crash would not affect the team’s future driver decision, while Mercedes spokesman Bradley Lord told Sky Sports that Antonelli had shown great potential by pushing the limits from the start.

With Hamilton expected to join Ferrari at the end of the season, Antonelli is anticipated to be confirmed soon as Mercedes’ new driver, setting up a new chapter for the Silver Arrows.