Monza, Italy – August 30, 2024 – Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time for Mercedes in the second practice session at the Italian Grand Prix, narrowly edging out McLaren’s Lando Norris by just 0.003 seconds. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was third, with his team-mate Charles Leclerc fourth.
Hamilton’s impressive performance came amid an eventful day, which saw Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the young driver tipped as Hamilton’s likely successor, crash during his debut for Mercedes. The incident, which occurred in the second session, marred what was otherwise a strong showing by Hamilton and his team.
In the first session, Max Verstappen topped the timesheets for Red Bull, clocking in 0.228 seconds faster than Leclerc, who was on the medium tyre, with Norris and Sainz rounding out the top four. Verstappen’s pace on the soft tyre highlighted his potential for the weekend, although he encountered difficulties in the second session, where he finished 13th.
The championship leader’s session was disrupted by a mistake during his qualifying simulation run, which saw him run wide at Parabolica. Despite this, Verstappen showed considerable speed during the race-simulation runs, demonstrating that he remains a strong contender for the race win.
Norris, who is currently trailing Verstappen by 70 points in the championship, expressed confidence that the weekend would be fiercely competitive. “The car was quick,” Norris remarked. “Oscar [Piastri] was quick. He made a big mistake and lost probably 0.4 or 0.5 seconds, so he easily should have been P1. I am quite a long way off, so a bit of work for me to do.”
Norris believes that the top four teams – Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes – will all be in contention for victory this weekend. “It’s close between Ferrari, us – Red Bull I’m sure are after P1, and Mercedes as well. Looks like eight cars all looking fast. Should make it exciting,” he added.
The practice sessions have set the stage for what promises to be an exciting Italian Grand Prix, with the top teams showing strong performance and the added drama of Antonelli’s crash adding to the anticipation. As teams and drivers prepare for the final practice and qualifying sessions, the competition is expected to intensify, with Hamilton, Norris, Verstappen, and Sainz all positioned as key contenders for the top spot.
The Italian Grand Prix continues to capture the attention of fans and pundits alike, with high expectations for a thrilling race weekend.