FP1: Bottas leads Hamilton as Italian GP weekend kicks off

F1 Grand Prix, GP Italy, Autodromo Nazionale di Monza

Valtteri Bottas set the fastest time in first practice at Monza, helped by a tow from his Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton. The Finn's best time was more than 2 tenths faster than the Championship leader who was second fastest.

Having the Mercedes in front of the pack is not a surprise in practice, but teams will be very eager to learn how their relative performances are in qualifying, given that this Italian GP weekend is the first without the so-called qualifying engine modes with which Mercedes is thought to have had a considerable advantage so far this season.

Somewhat unfamiliar is Albon sitting in third, ahead of Daniil Kvyat and Max Verstappen. The latter crashed off at Variante Ascari and broke a Red Bull front wing. The Dutchman simply lost the rear in the middle of the corner and slid over the sausage kerbs into the tecpro barrier on the outside of the corner. Though he kept his engine going, a red flag was necessary to get his car out of the gravel trap.

Pierre Gasly was 6th fastest, putting both AlphaTauri's in the top 6. He too was seen kicking up some gravel in the session, just like many others did actually.

Slower, and further down the pecking order are the usual suspects, with once again Sebastian Vettel among them. The 4-time Champion ended up just 19th, splitting both Williams cars, meaning he was slower than Williams' FP1 stand-in Roy Nissany.