Mercedes dominate as Ferrari struggles go on
LEWIS Hamilton finished fastest on another impressive day for Mercedes ahead of tomorrow’s Italian Grand Prix. After team-mate Valtteri Bottas topped the time charts in opening practice, the allconquering Mercedes cars traded positions later in the day at Monza.
Hamilton finished 0.262 seconds clear of Bottas, with Lando Norris third in his McLaren, nine 10ths off the pace.
For Ferrari, it was another sobering day, this time at their home event. Charles Leclerc ended the running in ninth, three places ahead of Sebastian Vettel in the sister car.
As Ferrari’s troubles show few signs of easing, Hamilton’s quest for a seventh world championship grows stronger with each passing round.
Ahead of the eighth of 17 races here on Sunday, Hamilton holds a 47-point title lead as he goes in search of Michael Schumacher’s championship record.
Schumacher’s win tally looks set to fall soon, with Hamilton on course to move to within just one of the German’s alltime total with a 90th career triumph tomorrow.
Hamilton’s closest championship challenger, Max Verstappen, who crashed in opening practice, was back in fifth, more than a second off the pace.
Ferrari might be pleased their home race is being played out against the backdrop of scores of empty grandstands.
Leclerc and Vettel both fell off the road during second practice, with the former venting his frustration over the radio. “This car is so hard to drive,” he complained.
The 22-year-old Monegasque finished 1.4 sec slower than Hamilton with Vettel 1.6 sec down.
The Alpha Tauri pair Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat finished fourth and seventh. Carlos Sainz was sixth for McLaren.
George Russell handed the keys over to Williams’ reserve driver Roy Nissany for the morning session. The Briton returned later in the day but finished last of the 20 competitors.
Mattia Binotto has admitted he considered resigning as Ferrari team principal.
Ferrari head into tomorrow’s Italian Grand Prix in the midst of their worst crisis in a generation. They are fifth in the constructors’ championship, an eye-watering 203 points behind Lewis Hamilton’s all-conquering Mercedes.
The Scuderia are Formula One’s most decorated team, winning 16 constructors’ titles and producing champions in the form of the likes of Alberto Ascari, Niki Lauda and Schumacher. In all, Ferrari have won the drivers’ title on 15 occasions.
But it is now 13 years since they produced their last champion, Kimi Raikkonen, and a dozen since winning their last constructors’ honours.
Both Leclerc and the soonto-be-departing Vettel failed to finish in the points in Belgium a week ago – the team’s worst single-race performance since 2009
Binotto revealed that Ferrari president John Elkann phoned him for an explanation of the team’s woeful performance at Spa-Francorchamps.
But speaking on the eve of Ferrari’s home race, the team principal believes he has the backing of Maranello’s volatile hierarchy.
“I know I have the support of my managers,” said Binotto, 50. “But I questioned myself. I reflected on whether I can be suitable for the role of team principal.
“I could have done better in some areas, but I believe that my 25 years in F1 and the knowledge of this company are key elements to do well in this profession. I’m not alone, I can assure you. With [Ferrari CEO] Louis Camilleri I speak several times a day.”