Lewis Hamilton just outpaces Lando Norris at Monza’s FP2, underscoring the track’s tough conditions.
Future Ferrari pilot, Lewis Hamilton slightly jumped the gun today to excite the tifosi but indeed led a Mercedes ahead of McLarens and Ferraris, while the Red Bulls lagged behind…
The Silver Arrow regained its luster after faltering at Zandvoort, and Hamilton clocked the fastest lap, just three thousandths of a second ahead of Lando Norris and a tenth ahead of Carlos Sainz, Oscar Piastri, and Charles Leclerc.
The second Mercedes of George Russell ranked sixth despite Kimi Antonelli’s crash this morning, which sidelined the Brit from FP1 and half of FP2 while his car was being repaired.
The hot seat issue
The only concern on the W15s: the elevated cockpit temperature, particularly the scorching bucket seats, according to both drivers—perhaps an unexpected consequence of Monza’s new surface?
Nico Hülkenberg emerged as the “best of the rest” while his teammate Kevin Magnussen triggered the session’s sole red flag by crashing his Haas into the wall at the second Lesmo. The RB of Daniel Ricciardo, a former winner here, and the two Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll round out the top 10 this Friday.
Red Bull struggles…
Red Bull only appears in the lower half of the standings with Max Verstappen lamenting an unstable car during braking and Sergio Pérez sidelined in the garage for a lengthy period due to a gearbox issue. Alex Albon’s Williams leads, edging out his new teammate Franco Colapinto by less than two-tenths, marking an encouraging start for the young Argentine.
The two Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon bring up the rear, over a second off the pace despite the support from Viry-Châtillon factory staff who voiced their displeasure in the Monza stands today.
FP3 is scheduled for 12:30 PM tomorrow, followed by qualifying at 4 PM, setting the stage for a fierce battle for pole position among at least three teams!
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes W15 | 1:20.738 |
| 02 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes MCL38 | 1:20.741 |
| 03 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari SF-24 | 1:20.841 |
| 04 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes MCL38 | 1:20.858 |
| 05 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari SF-24 | 1:20.892 |
| 06 | George Russell | Mercedes W15 | 1:21.086 |
| 07 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas Ferrari VF-24 | 1:21.140 |
| 08 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB Honda RBPT VCARB 01 | 1:21.300 |
| 09 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR24 | 1:21.316 |
| 10 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR24 | 1:21.363 |
| 11 | Valtteri Bottas | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C44 | 1:21.461 |
| 12 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari VF-24 | 1:21.499 |
| 13 | Alex Albon | Williams Mercedes FW46 | 1:21.592 |
| 14 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB20 | 1:21.610 |
| 15 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB20 | 1:21.678 |
| 16 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB Honda RBPT VCARB 01 | 1:21.735 |
| 17 | Franco Colapinto | Williams Mercedes FW46 | 1:21.784 |
| 18 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault A524 | 1:21.819 |
| 19 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine Renault A524 | 1:21.867 |
| 20 | Guanyu Zhou | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C44 | 1:22.223 |
- You may also like>Marko Claims: Ferrari, Red Bull Overlooked Antonelli
- Also make sure you follow us on social media>Facebook and>Twitter
Monza FP2: Hamilton Pips Norris by a Whisker Monza FP2: Hamilton Pips Norris by a Whisker
