Verstappen edges Sainz to set pace in Italian GP opening practice
The two-time world champion was 0.046 seconds faster than Sainz as home favourites Ferrari had both their cars among the FP1 frontrunners in the opening hour of practice at Monza.
Perez, who trails Verstappen by 138 points in the world championship, was 0.177s behind his teammate.
After equalling Sebastian Vettel’s record as the driver with the most wins in a row in a single F1 season last time out at his home race at Zandvoort, Verstappen is bidding for a record-breaking 10th consecutive victory this weekend.
It was a fairly uneventful start to Friday’s running, though Verstappen was heard complaining about getting “way too much helmet lift” half-way through the session.
Charles Leclerc was fourth-fastest in the other Ferrari, 0.309s adrift of Verstappen, while George Russell was half a second off the pace in fifth for Mercedes.
Fernando Alonso put his Aston Martin sixth, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and fellow Briton Lewis Hamilton, who has penned a new deal to continue alongside Russell at Mercedes until at least the end of 2025.
Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon, who survived a trip through the gravel at Turn 10, completed the top-10 order for AlphaTauri and Williams respectively.
Aston Martin reserve Felipe Drugovich finished 18th as he deputised for Lance Stroll.
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