Latest Episode | Cut To The Race Podcast
All eyes were on the race track in Monza, as there was plenty to see during Free Practice 1 of the Italian Grand Prix.
There was much to observe from a new driver in the field—Franco Colapinto, who replaces Logan Sargeant at Williams—and from upgrades to track-specific adjustments.
In addition to Franco Colapinto, Kimi Antonelli sat in a Formula 1 car as a rookie. He was allowed to use George Russell’s Mercedes for the first F1 session of the weekend to gain experience.
Vamos Franco! ??
Today he becomes the first full-time F1 driver from Argentina since Gaston Mazzacane back in 2001. #F1 #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/UETuK6oRMX
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 30, 2024
The first F1 laps of the Italian Grand Prix weekend
The weather in Monza this weekend is as we know it: hot. The track temperature was already over 50 degrees Celsius at the start of the session.
The drivers put on different tyre compounds at the start of the first stints. Everything was on show, from softs for Antonelli and Hamilton to hards for Tsunoda.
Verstappen showed the Red Bull’s continuous problems in the first laps, having to take the emergency exit out of turn one twice. Both Ferraris also seemed to be struggling.
The mistake came after Kimi Antonelli had set the first good lap times. The young driver attempted to make the turn into Parabolica but experienced a sudden snap mid-corner, causing him to lose control. The car’s rear slid out, sending him through the gravel trap and into the barriers, where he knocked off the front wing in the process.
AfterÂ?checking to make sure he was okay, Mercedes team boss Toto WolffÂ?radioed,Â?“Kimi, it is all good.”
The session was paused by a red flag to repair the barriers.
HUGE CRASH! ?
Heartbreak for Kimi Antonelli as he loses control in Turn 11 and smashes into the barrier ? pic.twitter.com/BKChBaRqTU
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) August 30, 2024
After the red flag
With a little more than 30 minutes left on the clock, the cars got out to the track again.
Verstappen took the top spot with a time of 1m 23.088s, while Sainz moved into second place. The Dutch driver is feeling the heat this weekend, as he hasn’t secured a Grand Prix victory since the race in Spain in June.
Contrary to previous expectations, Valtteri Bottas set a 1:22.127 on the soft tyres—the fastest time with 25 minutes left on the clock. We can only guess Bottas set the time with less fuel than the others.
The rest of the field was a wild mix, with Hamilton +0.087 seconds behind Bottas, while Albon also set a fast time, just +0.093 seconds behind Bottas.
Lando Norris was the fastest so far on the medium tyres in 4th place with a 1:22.443.
A look at the second rookie of the session, Franco Colapinto, showed consistent laps. His goal this weekend will be to get used to the Williams FW45 – but maybe even points are possible.
The final minutes
Carlos Sainz had a similar moment to Kimi Antonelli but managed to catch the car.
The Italian Grand Prix circuit has been resurfaced, meaning the cars had even less grip than usual in the weekend’s first session.
The final minutes ticked down, and Max Verstappen set a competitive time of 1:21.676.
The speeds on the straights showed that Leclerc and Sainz were the fastest, followed by Valtteri Bottas.
Franco Colapinto ended his first drive as a full-time Formula 1 driver with a short trip over the gravel – almost a copy of Antonelli’s crash. Colapinto was able to get back to the pits.
Final results
- Verstappen
- Leclerc
- Norris
- Sainz
- Bottas
- Piastri
- Hamilton
- Albon
- Perez
- Alonso
- Magnussen
- Ricciardo
- Tsunoda
- Gasly
- Zhou
- Stroll
- Colapinto
- Ocon
- Hülkenberg
- Antonelli
Feature Image Credit: Zak Mauger/LAT Images via Getty Images