Italian GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Results

The last practice session of the weekend had a slow start as it had rained overnight, causing damp patches on the circuit. Not many of the drivers opted to go out right away, but instead stayed in their garages while the teams made tweaks to their cars & looked over data.

More bad news for Red Bull, as the new engine that they placed in Ricciardo's car, ended up giving up only after a handful of laps. Both Red Bull & Toro Rosso will be starting from the back of the grid due to penalties, along with McLaren. The total of penalties so far is more than 150+ for the weekend.

Ferrari continued to be on their form, as were Mercedes & Williams. Force India, who had good results in the first two practice sessions, slid down a bit on the time sheets, but still managed to stay inside the top 15, with Perez ending in the top 10 while Hulkenberg finished 12th.

Here are the times from the session

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:24.544 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Sebastian Vettel - 1:24.808 / Ferrari-Ferrari
3. Nico Rosberg - 1:24.843 / Mercedes-Mercedes
4. Valtteri Bottas - 1:24.946 / Williams-Mercedes
5. Felipe Massa - 1:25.165 / Williams-Mercedes
6. Pastor Maldonado - 1:25.242 / Lotus-Mercedes
7. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:25.244 / Ferrari-Ferrari
8. Sergio Perez - 1:25.515 / Force India-Mercedes
9. Marcus Ericsson - 1:25.692 / Sauber-Ferrari
10. Romain Grosjean - 1:25.747 / Lotus-Mercedes
11. Felipe Nasr - 1:25.912 / Sauber-Ferrari
12. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:26.141 / Force India-Ferrari
13. Fernando Alonso - 1:26.632 / McLaren-Honda
14. Jenson Button - 1:26.750 / McLaren-Honda
15. Will Stevens - 1:28.123 / Manor-Ferrari
16. Max Verstappen - 1:28.215 / Toro Rosso-Renault
17. Daniil Kvyat - 1:28.591 / Red Bull-Renault
18. Carlos Sainz - 1:28.628 / Toro Rosso-Renault
19. Roberto Merhi - 1:29.117 / Manor-Ferrari
20. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:29.900 / Red Bull-Renault

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Italian GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Results

More bad news for multiple teams as more drivers are now facing grid penalties ahead of Sunday's race. Both Red Bull drivers, McLaren drivers & possibly the Toro Rosso duo could be starting at the back of the grid due to multiple component changes.

McLaren are also facing mechanical issues on Button's car. He was forced to sit out nearly the whole session to an ES issue, which caused his car to be up in the garage with caution tape around it.

Both Mercedes & Force India continued to be on top with Hamilton & Rosberg taking the top two spots, followed by Vettel and then Perez and Hulkenberg, who also finished in the top five in the earlier practice session. The team is hoping this weekend may end in a podium finish.

Here are the times from the session

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:24.279 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg - 1:24.300 / Mercedes-Mercedes
3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:25.038 / Ferrari-Ferrari
4. Sergio Perez - 1:25.278 / Force India-Mercedes
5. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:25.325 / Force India-Mercedes
6. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:25.380 / Ferrari-Ferrari
7. Romain Grosjean - 1:25.497 / Lotus-Mercedes
8. Pastor Maldonado - 1:25.513 / Lotus-Mercedes
9. Valtteri Bottas - 1:25.647 / Williams-Mercedes
10. Felipe Massa - 1:25.891 / Williams-Mercedes
11. Felipe Nasr - 1:26.114 / Sauber-Ferrari
12. Marcus Ericsson - 1:26.133 / Sauber-Ferrari
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:26.222 / Red Bull-Renault
14. Max Verstappen - 1:26.454 / Toro Rosso-Renault
15. Carlos Sainz - 1:26.641 / Toro Rosso-Renault
16. Fernando Alonso - 1:26.966 / McLaren-Honda
17. Will Stevens - 1:28.201 / Manor-Ferrari
18. Roberto Merhi - 1:28.439 / Manor-Ferrari
19. Jenson Button - 1:28.471 / McLaren-Honda
20. Daniil Kvyat - 1:29.002 / Red Bull-Renault

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Italian GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Results

With another F1 weekend underway, it's time to go over the first practice session at Monza. While most of the fans are there for Ferrari, there's nothing anyone can do to stop the Mercedes power dominance. Both Hamilton and Rosberg topped the session & While Vettel was in the top 3, it was Force India that rounded up the top 5, despite Hulkenberg having a fuel leak late in the sesssion.

Not an easy session for the young Toro Rosso duo. Verstappen reported multiple problems with braking and vibrations and team-mate, Sainz, was out early in the session due to sliding off track and getting stranded in the gravel. Verstappen also has a 10-Place-Grid-Penalty for the race this weekend.

Other drivers with penalties include both McLaren drivers due to more component changes. Button has a 5-Place-Grid-Penalty & Alonso has a 10-Place-Grid-Penalty. Both Red Bull drivers will also be taking 10 places each, meaning we're already up to a combined total of 45-grid-space-penalties. Not quite as much as Spa but.. There could be more before Sunday's race.

Here are the times from the session.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:24.670 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg - 1:25.133 / Mercedes-Mercedes
3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:26.258 / Ferrari-Ferrari
4. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:26.612 / Force India-Mercedes
5. Sergio Perez - 1:26.730 / Force India-Mercedes
6. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:26.783 / Ferrari-Ferrari
7. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:26.922 / Red Bull-Renault
8. Felipe Massa - 1:26.936 / Williams-Mercedes
9. Valtteri Bottas - 1:27.075 / Williams-Mercedes
10. Pastor Maldonado - 1:27.118 / Lotus-Mercedes
11. Felipe Nasr - 1:27.232 / Sauber-Ferrari
12. Daniil Kvyat - 1:27.275 / Red Bull-Renault
13. Marcus Ericsson - 1:27.454 / Sauber-Ferrari
14. Max Verstappen - 1:27.591 / Toro Rosso-Renault
15. Jolyon Palmer* - 1:27.669 / Lotus-Mercedes
16. Carlos Sainz - 1:27.907 / Toro Rosso-Renault
17. Fernando Alonso - 1:28.023 / McLaren-Honda
18. Jenson Button - 1:28.423 / McLaren-Honda
19. Will Stevens - 1:29.853 / Manor-Ferrari
20. Roberto Merhi - 1:29.911 / Manor-Ferrari

* = Driving in this session only

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

Preview Quotes - Manor/Marussia


Will Stevens - “I really like the mix of old and new circuits on the existing calendar and Monza is a particular favourite. The track has a fantastic heritage and as a driver it gives you a very special feeling to be racing here. Plus, I’ve won a couple of times here in FR3.5, so it’s a track I know well and enjoy. It’s also the home race of our powertrain partners, Scuderia Ferrari, so we know we can look forward to that extra boost that such a passionate home crowd gives you, albeit in a much smaller way than Ferrari of course. It’s a great track to see out the current phase of European races, before we head to the long hauls.”

Roberto Merhi - “It’s always a really emotional experience to be racing here at Monza and particularly as a small part of the Scuderia Ferrari family. The crowd here are always incredibly passionate and together with the historic significance of the circuit, it’s makes for a very special weekend. The track is really very high-speed and so it is quite a different challenge. Plus, the forecast is for mixed conditions, so it could be quite unpredictable. I hope we can head into the flyaway races with a further boost to our current run of two-car finishes.”

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

Preview Quotes - Williams


Felipe Massa - “Monza is one of the best circuits to drive - the layout is quick with some very fast corners. The local area is fantastic with good weather, great food and fans who are very passionate about Formula One. There is a lot of history at the track and as a team we have had some good results there, including our podium last year. Standing on the Monza podium is very special and I’m lucky enough to have a lot of supporters in Italy. Our car should be suited well to the characteristics of the circuit but we will have to work hard to make sure that we leave Italy with a good result.”

Valtteri Bottas - “I always look forward to racing in Monza. It’s an old school track with a lot of history and is one of the fastest circuits on the calendar which gives you a real buzz when driving. It requires a low downforce set-up from the car which should be good for us. The passionate fans also make the weekend a special one. We are aiming for a strong weekend here. We have learnt from our mistakes and will bounce back even stronger!”

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso


Carlos Sainz - "Monza is such a classic, old-school track, every driver loves to race there! I enjoyed it so much there last year (In Formula Renault 3.5) - but to drive an F1 there and reach one of the highest top-speeds of the year... that must be such an adrenaline rush! I'm positive even if I'll have to take a 10-place grid penalty. I really want to at least gain all those positions back in the race, as (Max) did in Spa... If (he can) do it, I can do it!"

Max Verstappen - "Yes, I just can't wait - it's the type of track I enjoy: high speeds, great braking zones and a unique atmosphere. The only time I drove there was last year during an F3 test, but to actually race there must be such a great feeling. Even though Monza isn't the best track for us in terms of engine speed, I will push to the max, obviously! It's the team's home race, so it's definitely going to be a special one for us and everyone will be extra motivated. Hopefully we can deliver another good result and score some more points!"

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

Preview Quotes - McLaren


Fernando Alonso - "Monza is completely unique - a fantastic circuit, so much history, great fans, and huge fun to drive. It's always special to go there year after year to experience the atmosphere, and the way the car feels when you drive on that track is completely different to any other. I have won at Monza twice in my career - once with McLaren in 2007 - and both times were incredibly special. For this race we have to manage our own expectations, as we know it won't suit our car. It will be tough, but we'll still push hard as usual, learn as much as we can about our package, and work on our low-downforce configuration to try and get as much as we can out of the weekend."

Jenson Button - "Monza is such a great place, definitely one of the most incredible races on the calendar for a driver, and always such a thrill to race on. It's completely unique in terms of the setup it demands, and I love the feeling you get when you hit the sweet spot in the corners - keeping the car controlled under heavy braking on the way in is tricky, and then on the way out it becomes very unsettled as you're trying to get the power down, so it's a great test of nerve.

Spa was a very tough race for the team, and especially so on my side of the garage due to the deployment issues I had on the straights. We're working hard on this and we're optimistic that there won't be a repeat in Monza, as it really hindered any chance I had of keeping up with the rest of the pack. That said, Monza's high speeds will prove very challenging for us, but we'll give it our all and stay focussed as ever.

The key for us will be getting the maximum from the car on Saturday, to give ourselves a fighting chance of a good battle on Sunday afternoon. Despite the issues, the car was well balanced in Spa and felt good to drive, particularly in qualifying, so we'll aim to make the most of that in Monza, too, before we head to the fly-aways where there'll be circuits that'll suit our car's strengths much better."

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

Preview Quotes - Sauber


Marcus Ericsson - "The race weekend in Monza is always a very special event due to the popularity of Formula One and the tifosi. There is always a thrilling atmosphere, and the Italians are really passionate about motorsport. The circuit is the fastest on the calendar, and I am curious about the top speed on the straights with the modified engine. It is important to have a high straight-line speed, and to be fast through the chicanes. We need to find a compromise with the down force level giving us a high straight-line speed, but also finding the right set-up for a stable car.”

Felipe Nasr - "Monza is an historic track. I know the circuit well from every series I have come through. It reminds me a lot of the time when I moved to Italy in 2009. Back then I lived just 40 minutes away from Monza. It is a unique circuit for me. The flow is really nice, with Parabolica being my favourite corner. I am looking forward to driving the circuit again, and it will be my first time there in a Formula One car. The high-speed track should suit our car well. We need to find an efficient balance for being fast on the straights and not losing too much time in the corners. A good braking stability, as well as traction for coming out of the chicanes, is important.”


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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

Preview Quotes - Force India


Sergio Perez - “The race in Belgium was good fun: it's always nice to battle at the front and, even though we didn't manage to get onto the podium, it was good to come away with our best result of the season so far. Our performance is improving and we are taking the opportunities when they arise. We have seen that we can now fight with nearly everyone and it's important we keep aiming for the podium.

Monza is a place with lots of memories for me. I had one of my best races in Formula One there in 2012, finishing second after a clever race managing tyres. The circuit is probably one of the most beautiful in the calendar: there's history wherever you look and you can feel it's a unique place from the very moment you arrive at the track. The Italian fans are amazing - they remind me of Mexicans, in a way, and it's a good warm-up ahead of the race in Mexico City!

Monza is a true power track and so we go there confident of being competitive. It’s never easy to overtake and the strategy options are quite limited, and so getting the job done in qualifying is especially important. In the race it’s a case of being flat out all the way and being accurate with your braking points. My feeling with the updated car is very good now. Spa was the most comfortable I’ve been this season and it showed in the results. We need to go to Monza and deliver a similar performance.”

Nico Hulkenberg - “When you have a frustrating weekend like the one in Spa, the best cure is to get back behind the wheel and go racing again. I know we could have been very competitive in Belgium without the technical issues on race day and we missed an opportunity to score good points.

Monza is special. It's a high-speed track that pushes the car to the limit: it may look easy but the margin for error when braking for the chicanes is very small and you end up paying heavily for every mistake. It's a fun and challenging circuit to drive and the atmosphere makes it even better. The fans are very passionate and knowledgeable: the town lives for the race and you have a feeling that you're in one of the temples of Formula One.

The layout of the track should allow us to be competitive and it’s an opportunity for us to score important points. I had a very exciting race there in 2013 and I wouldn't mind a repeat performance. We have seen what the VJM08 is capable of in the last few events and I think we will have the chance to compete in the top ten.”

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

Preview Quotes - Mercedes


Lewis Hamilton - "Spa was a really positive weekend for me. I felt comfortable right the way through and it was great to finally get another win at one of the real classic F1 circuits. Now, we head to another of those in Monza. It’s an awesome track - so fast and with some of the most passionate fans you’ll see anywhere in the world. I was actually at this circuit with Sir Stirling Moss earlier this year, driving the banking in his old Mercedes W 196, which was just awesome. Having that taste of what it was like for those guys back in the day really gives you a feel for the history of this place and why it became so legendary. It’s still a big challenge today, too. Fast, but really technical at the same time with some heavy braking and big kerbs to ride for the best line. Racing in Italy brings back a lot of good memories for me and I’d love to add to those this weekend, so that’s the aim.”

Nico Rosberg - “The race in Spa was definitely disappointing. My start was not good so I need to work on that and also on finding those extra tenths in qualifying to get back on top there. I know I have the car underneath me to get pole and the win every time with this incredible machine the team have built, so nothing less will do. Monza is next and I can’t wait to try out this season’s Silver Arrow there. I’m sure it will suit our car and it’s a circuit I really enjoy, so all the ingredients are there for a strong weekend. I’m sure the Tifosi will want a red car to be on the top step but, whatever the result, you know they will create an unbelievable atmosphere. Standing on the podium last year was a great experience and the target is to be one step higher this time around.”

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