LEWIS HAMILTON will be gunning to take top spot back from Max Verstappen as the F1 season heads to Italy this weekend.
The Dutchman Verstappen went to the top of the Driver's Championship after his victory at home in the Dutch Grand Prix last week.
And he will have pole at Monza after a dramatic qualifying session.
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- Ben Hunt
PEREZ AND SAINZ BATTLE
The Red Bull and Ferrari drivers are vying for fifth place. They come close to touching but just avoid contact.
- Ben Hunt
FIVES SECOND TIME PENALTY FOR GIOVINAZZI
The Italian has been slapped with the sanction for rejoining the track in an unsafe manner following his spin.
- Ben Hunt
GASLY IS OUT
The Frenchman, also the defending champion of this race, is out. He too has a problem with his car.
A double DNF for AlphaTauri on the their home race.
- Ben Hunt
AFTER A GOOD START, GIOVINAZZI SPINS
The Alfa Romeo mans loses control on lap one.
- Ben Hunt
LAP 3
And it is Ricciardo, Verstappen, Norris, Hamilton, Leclerc, Sainz.
- Ben Hunt
HAMILTON AND VERSTAPPEN TOUCH
The two title contenders make contact. Hamilton is force wide. He radios his team saying: “He pushed me wide.”
- Ben Hunt
GREAT START FOR RICCIARDO
The Aussie gets the jump on Verstappen and into P1. McLaren are leading this race.
- Ben Hunt
FORMATION LAP
Hamilton is starting on hard tyres. Interesting choice as he will look to go longer on his first set of tyres.
- Ben Hunt
BIG DAY FOR McLAREN
Two cars starting inside the top three. They have real potential for a first win in nine years.
- Ben Hunt
PROBLEM FOR TSUNODA
The AlphaTauri man is having his car pushed off the grid due to some sort of problem.
- Ben Hunt
SUCKING DIESEL
Lots of Italian Olympic athletes and footballers here today, plus this chap.
- Ben Hunt
20 MINUTES UNTIL THE START OF THE ITALIAN GP
Verstappen will start first. Ricciardo in second, Norris in third and Hamilton in fourth.
- Ben Hunt
BOTTAS WINS THE SPRINT QUALIFYING RACE…
Only this is not a race.
And he won't start in P1 due to engine penalties. He will start last.
But he does get three bonus points.
Verstappen, who is second and gets two points in the championship, will start on pole in his place.
Hamilton is fifth after his poor start, misses out on any points.
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- Ben Hunt
SLIGHT WOBBLE FOR HAMILTON
But he's kept it on track. He's dropped time on Norris. Meanwhile, Bottas is 2.1 seconds ahead of Verstappen.
- Ben Hunt
SIX LAPS TO GO
Hamilton is closing in on Norris but the McLaren man remains ahead with the world champion down in fifth.
- Ben Hunt
PEREZ GETS PAST STROLL
But does it by ignoring the chicane. He's been told to give the place back or risk a penalty from the stewards.
- Ben Hunt
SAFETY CAR IN THIS LAP
The racing will resume and it is Bottas, Verstappen, Ricciardo.
- Ben Hunt
SMASH FOR GASLY
The AlphaTauri man is caught up in the mayhem and he lost his front wing and is sent into the barriers. He is out.
His teammate Yuki Tsunoda is also in the thick of it and tags Robert Kubica, sending the Alfa Romeo into a spin.
- Ben Hunt
HAMILTON GETS A BAD START
The Mercedes man has dropped to fifth place after Norris and Ricciardo both leapfrogged him.
- Ben Hunt
FORMATION LAP
All 20 cars are on the gird. Bottas starts on P1 but will start tomorrow's pace in P20 regardless, due to engine penalties.
All eyes on how Hamilton and Verstappen deal with Turn One.
- Ben Hunt
25 MINUTES UNTIL THE SPRINT QUALIFYING RACE
Good to see Leclerc out on the grid after complaining of feeling unwell in final practice.
- Ben Hunt
BOTTAS GETS A PENALTY
The Mercedes man knew it was looming and now the FIA have confirmed that he will get a 10-place grid penalty for tomorrow's race for taking a new engine.
- Ben Hunt
MORE WOE FOR FERRARI
Team are now working hard to fix Sainz's car following his high speed crash in practice.
Meanwhile, Leclerc stopped driving early in the session as he was complaining of feeling unwell.
- Ben Hunt
SESSION OVER – MERCEDES LEAD THE WAY
Just as they had done in qualifying, it is the world champions who are quickest in Monza.
Hamilton tops the session ahead of the sprint race coming up at 4:40pm local time – 3:30pm in the UK.
- Ben Hunt
MAZEPIN HAS BEEN DONE FOR SPEEING
The Haas man was clocked at doing 86.6kmh in the pitlane, which is limited to 80kmh.
It has triggered a €700 fine paid to the FIA coffers.
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