Monza: Championship leader Lewis Hamilton bounced back to top the times ahead of his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg in Friday’s second free practice for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.
The defending three-time world champion, who leads Rosberg by nine points in the title race, was second behind him in Friday’s opening session.
On a hot late summer’s afternoon at the old Autodromo Nazionale in Monza’s former royal park, the 31-year-old Briton clocked a best lap in one minute and 22.801 seconds to outpace German Rosberg by 0.193 seconds.
Hamilton is seeking to complete a hat-trick of successive Italian wins and to claim his 50th Formula One victory in Sunday’s race.
Four-time former champion Sebastian Vettel was third fastest ahead of his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen, the Italian team closing the gap behind the Mercedes to less than half a second as they made use of their latest upgraded power units.
Under-scrutiny Dutch teenager Max Verstappen, who was given a gentle warning about his aggressive style of driving by the FIA’s Race Director Charlie Whiting earlier in the day, was fifth ahead of his Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo.
Former Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso was seventh for McLaren ahead of Valtteri Bottas of Williams with Romain Grosjean of Haas and Jenson Button, in the second McLaren, completing the top ten.
Both Ferrari drivers and both Mercedes men topped the times at different periods of the session before Hamilton took control in a straightforward session lacking in major incident.
Verstappen and the Red Bull team manager Jonathan Wheatley met Whiting before the morning practice to discuss Verstappen’s performance at last Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix.
After the meeting Red Bull team chief Christian Horner told reporters that Whiting had told Verstappen he risked disqualification if continued with the aggressive style that prompted criticism from both Ferrari drivers and others.
He said: “Charlie was keen to show him a video of Spa. It was a gentle warning ... Like any 18-year-old, the criticism (from other drivers) seems to be going in one ear and out the other. He really doesn’t care.”
He added: “We’re all here talking about it and it’s that spirit that he’s got that is bringing fans trackside.”
Hamilton had managed a clean sweep last year by topping all the practice sessions and taking pole position en route to victory, but his hopes of a repeat were ended by Rosberg in the first session.
Rosberg is seeking his first victory at the Italian Grand Prix.
Brazilian Felipe Massa, who on Thursday announced his impending retirement from F1, was 11th in his Williams and Kevin Magnussen, who limped away from a high-speed crash in his Renault in Belgium last Sunday, was 19th.
Meanwhile, Formula One’s veteran commercial ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone announced Friday that Monza has agreed a new deal to retain the Italian Grand Prix.
He said a new-three year deal was agreed, keeping the Italian race at the famous old high-speed circuit from 2017 to 2019.
“Regretfully, legally, we can’t sign it here,” said Ecclestone. “But, and more important, is that we have an agreement thanks to our lawyers — and we are getting all the small details sorted.
“There is no problem in having the race here. The contract will be for three years, but I hope we are here for 100 years.”
Briton Ecclestone, 85, and the president of the International Motoring Federation (FIA) Frenchman Jean Todt sat either side of Italian motorsport chief Angelo Sticchi Damiani at Friday’s press conference.
