Hamilton sets the pace in final practice for the Italian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton bounces back from narrowly missing out on pole for the Sprint Race by setting the pace in final practice for the Italian Grand Prix from Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen 

  • Lewis Hamilton set the pace in the final practice session for the Italian GP
  • The Brit was tenths clear of Valtteri Bottas with Lewis Hamilton in third place
  • Hamilton will start behind his team mate  Bottas in Saturday’s Sprint Race
  • Carlos Sainz was winded in a hefty crash in his Ferrari during the session
  • The Ferrari mechanics face a race against time to make sure his car is ready 

Lewis Hamilton topped the time charts in final practice for the Italian Grand Prix.

The world champion, who will start Saturday’s sprint race at Monza from second, finished 0.222 seconds clear of Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

Bottas will line up on pole later, but will be expected to move aside for Hamilton, to maximise the Briton’s bid for an eighth world title.

Lewis Hamilton set the pace in final practice ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen

Carlos Sainz suffered a hefty crash and mechanics face a race against time to get his car ready

Max Verstappen, who qualified third, finished third, half a second down on Hamilton with the power-hungry Temple of Speed playing to Mercedes’ strengths.

Points are awarded to the top-three finishers of the sprint event, while the final result also determines the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari crew will face a race against time to repair his machine after the Spaniard crashed out of final practice.

Bottas finished behind his team mate but will start on pole for Saturday’s Sprint Race

Championship leader Max Verstappen finished half a second down on Hamilton in third 

Sainz lost control of his Ferrari through Ascari, hitting the wall and sustaining serious damage to the front of his car.

‘I have had a massive crash,’ reported a winded Sainz over the radio. ‘That hurt a bit, but I am OK.’

Sainz was taken to the medical center before being given the all-clear, while the action was suspended for 13 minutes as the Ferrari driver’s car was towed away.

Sergio Perez finished fourth for Red Bull, six tenths back, with Esteban Ocon fifth for Alpine and British driver Lando Norris 10th for McLaren.

The 18-lap sprint race gets under way at 3.30pm British time.

Hamilton is hoping to retake the championship at a track in which his team look strong




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