Monza: pre-qualifying

After a brief hiatus for reasons that are strange and mysterious, back to sport and bets (well, maybe for the latter). Russell and Hamilton have signed two year contract extensions with Mercedes in the meantime.

As with the Netherlands, Liam Lawson is standing in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri.

 

In first practice had Verstappen quickest but Sainz less than half a tenth behind him. Perez was next, and a couple of tenths further back was Leclerc. Add two more tenths and Russell pops up, ahead of Alonso, Norris, Hamilton, Tsunoda, and Albon.

Second practice had BFFs Sainz and Norris separated by less than two-hundredths at the top of the time sheet, with Perez nearly two-tenths off them. Piastri was just five-thousandths off the Mexican driver. Verstappen was 5th (see below), then came Leclerc, Albon, Alonso, Russell, and Hulkenberg.


Sainz and Norris both did well in FP2 and were keen to say they didn’t feel they truly had that pace. Red Bull are claiming they have ‘work to do’ but if they don’t get the win this weekend it will seem an utter failure. Worth noting Verstappen’s qualifying simulation run in second practice was subject to traffic so was nowhere near representative.

Sainz was looking good in both practice sessions so far, and Perez has made some mistakes already. Slightly tempting to back the Spaniard to be winner each way for either third practice or qualifying but with Verstappen likely sewing up the top slot and potential competition from Norris, Leclerc, and Perez the odds aren’t quite enough to persuade me (currently 6, with each way being third the odds for top 2).

 

Qualifying is at 3pm UK time, with the race starting at 2pm on Sunday.

 

Morris Dancer

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