Ferrari Roars at Monza: Hamilton Sets the Pace in Thrilling Opening Practice!
In a sensational start to the Italian Grand Prix weekend, Lewis Hamilton has thrown down the gauntlet, showcasing his prowess by leading a Ferrari one-two during the opening practice session at Monza! The iconic Italian circuit, revered for its rich motorsport history, witnessed Ferrari’s ambitious bid to reclaim victory, hoping to ride the wave of momentum from their triumphant 2024 campaign after a disheartening double DNF at Zandvoort.
Despite arriving at the track carrying a five-place grid penalty owing to a pre-race infringement, Hamilton wasted no time in asserting his dominance, clocking an impressive lap time of 1m20.117s—0.169 seconds faster than his Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc. The seven-time world champion made headlines earlier in the week, declaring his willingness to sacrifice an optimal Q3 performance to aid Leclerc in securing pole position, a testament to his sportsmanship amid adversities.
The excitement reached a fever pitch when Leclerc faced scrutiny for a potential infraction during the session. He was investigated for overtaking Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber under a red flag, but quickly emerged unscathed as officials deemed no further action necessary. The red flag had been triggered by a dramatic incident involving Isack Hadjar, whose Racing Bulls car veered into the gravel at the infamous Ascari chicane, necessitating a swift cleanup operation.
As the session unfolded, Ferrari surged to the top of the timesheets, with Hamilton and Leclerc delivering stellar performances that had fans on the edge of their seats. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz showed that Williams is not to be underestimated, clinching a robust third place, indicating that the midfield team could be a formidable challenge to the top contenders this weekend.
Max Verstappen’s Red Bull secured a respectable fourth position, while Kimi Antonelli—now a familiar face following his brief FP1 debut at Monza last year—rounded out the top five. Lando Norris, Alex Albon, and George Russell followed closely behind, with Russell’s Mercedes mysteriously grinding to a halt just before the second chicane, raising eyebrows and questions about reliability.
The top ten was completed with seasoned drivers Fernando Alonso and Hadjar, who remarkably bounced back after his earlier mishap to finish in 10th place. The session also saw the debut of two FP1-only rookies: Alex Dunne, stepping in for Oscar Piastri at McLaren, and Paul Aron, replacing Franco Colapinto at Alpine. Dunne encountered traffic issues that hindered his performance, ultimately finishing 16th, while Aron struggled to find his rhythm, ending up at the bottom of the timesheets.
As the anticipation builds for the rest of the weekend, the stakes could not be higher. Can Ferrari maintain this momentum and deliver a home victory? Will Hamilton overcome his grid penalty and challenge for the top spot? One thing is for sure: the Italian Grand Prix is shaping up to be a thrilling spectacle that no motorsport fan will want to miss!
Results from FP1: 1. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 3. Carlos Sainz (Williams) 4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 5. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 6. Lando Norris (McLaren) 7. Alex Albon (Williams) 8. George Russell (Mercedes) 9. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 10. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) 11. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) 12. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) 13. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) 14. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) 15. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) 16. Alex Dunne (McLaren) 17. Esteban Ocon (Haas) 18. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) 19. Ollie Bearman (Haas) 20. Paul Aron (Alpine)
