The 2011 Italian Grand Prix Thread

[Ed]

This is the place to discuss everything related to the thirteenth round of the 2011 season taking place at the Monza circuit between the 9th and 11th of September.

To submit your 10 'n' Pole Picks for Italy click here, to register in the competition click here

Track Layout



The event timetable for the Italian Grand Prix.

Friday
1st Practice 10:00 local time - 08:00 GMT
2nd Practice 14:00 local time - 12:00 GMT

Saturday
Practice 11:00 local time - 09:00 GMT
Qualifying 14:00 local time - 12:00 GMT

Sunday
Race 14:00 local time - 12:00 GMT

For the latest Formula 1 News check out the F1 news page

[Ed]

Looks like McLaren are the team to beat in Monza

1st Friday practice - Top 10: Hamilton (1:23.865), Button (+0.921), Vettel (+1.366), Webber (+1.594), Sutil (+2.685), Petrov, Alonso, Massa, Perez & Alguersuari (+2.831)

11th to 24th: Schumacher (+2.834), Hulkenberg, Barrichello, Kobayashi (+3.131), Maldonado (+3.500), Senna, Buemi, Rosberg (+3.627), Kovalainen (+5.674), Chandhok, Ricciardo, Liuzzi, Glock and d'Ambrosio (+8.034)

Kovalainen and d'Ambrosio stopped on the track due to mechanical issues. Glock only managed a few timed laps.

[Ed]

Vettel topped the timesheets during second Friday practice were the conditions were warm

Top 10: Vettel (1:24.010), Hamilton (+0.036), Schumacher (+0.337), Massa, Alonso, Webber, Button (+0.498), Perez (+1.087), Kobayashi and Senna (+1.315)

11th to 24th: Petrov (+1.440), Sutil, di Resta, Alguersuari, Barrichello, Maldonado (+2.343), Buemi, Trulli (+4.549), Kovalainen, Glock, Liuzzi, Rosberg, d'Ambrosio and Ricciardo (+5.831)

Buemi crashed early in the session while Ricciardo had mechanical issues and only managed a few laps at the end of the session

[Thaddeus]

Didn't listen to most of either session, but the commentary chaps reckoned McLaren looked a bit slow on high fuel.

Red Bull may slip through the middle if Ferrari are rubbish on the medium compound and McLaren are lacklustre with high fuel.

However, I'd guess that it'll be a McLaren-Red Bull fight for victory, with Mercedes perhaps doing well.

[Ed]

It is surprising to see Ferrari struggling. You'd think this is the track where they will be very strong at. Looks like McLaren are very strong although they are strongest in cooler temperatures. Hamilton was faster in the morning on the medium compound than in the afternoon on softs! There was a 20 degree difference in track temperature!

Red Bull are looking stronger than expected.

Mercedes look strong on the soft compound so they may cause a surprise in qualifying.

We'll see how gets pole in a few hours!

[Ed]

Italian Grand Prix Qualifying - Vettel on Pole (1:22.275) from Hamilton (1:22.725), Button (1:22.777), Alonso (1:22.841), Webber (1:22.972)
Massa - 1:23.188
Petrov - 1:23.530
Schumacher - 1;23.777
Rosberg - 1:24.477
Senna - No time
Q2
di Resta - 1:24.157
Sutil - 1:24.209
Barrichello - 1:24.648
Maldonado - 1:24.726
Perez - 1:24.845
Buemi - 1:24.932
Kobayashi - 1:25.065
Q1
Alguersuari - 1:25.334
Trulli - 1:26.647
Kovalainen - 1:27.184
Glock - 1:27.591
d'Ambrosio - 1:27.609
Ricciardo - 1:28.054
Liuzzi - 1:28.231

[Ed]

Sebastian Vettel wins the race ahead of Jenson Button (+9.5 s) and Fernando Alonso (+16.9 s)
Hamilton, Schumacher, Massa, Alguersuari, di Resta, Senna and Buemi make the top 10.

Maldonado, Barrichello, Kovalainen, Trulli, Glock and Ricciardo make the rest of the field.

Retirements: Perez, Kobayashi, Sutil, Webber, d'Ambrosio, Petrov, Rosberg and Liuzzi

[Thaddeus]

I went for Vettel as driver of the day. Outstanding pass on Alonso, faster than all rivals consistently and, excepting the first few laps after he was passed at the start, never looked like anything but the winner.

Schumacher also did well, if being slightly naughty, as did Button. Ferrari need to sort out their tyre issues, or it could cost them next season [the medium compound of 2011 will become the hard compound of 2012].

[jacfan]

I gave my vote for Dotd to Jenson Button. Well done.
Bad luck for Mark Webber. Would have been interesting to see where he would have been if not for that accident.
Schumacher was fast but a tad naughty. Well done Lewis for keeping your cool despite being blocked by Michael.
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