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    F1 Italian GP LIVE RESULTS: Ferrari’s Leclerc on POLE, Verstappen second, Hamilton to start from fifth

    FERRARI’S Charles Leclerc sent the Monza crowd into raptures by topping qualifying and will start the Italian Grand Prix from pole.Though Championship leader Max Verstappen was on his tail, and will start from second on the grid.
    Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton fought back from a grid penalty to finish fifth in qualifying, setting up a tasty Grand Prix in Monza.

    Grand Prix: Sunday 11, 2pm
    TV channel: Sky Sports F1
    Live stream: Now TV

    Keep up to date with all the action from Monza below…
    So a reminder of grid penalties
    NINE drivers have been handed grid penalties for tomorrow’s race.
    It would be easy to figure out the grid if all the penalties but they’re not.
    Figuring out the grid for tomorrow is proving quite complex.
    However, the bottom three and top two are set in stone for sure.
    Sainz on his amazing pace and starting from the back
    “Honestly, a very good qualifying session and I was pushing flat out.
    “In Q3 I didn’t have a tow so it cost me those two, three-tenths but I’m starting last so in the end it didn’t matter.
    “I mean I’m not going to lie, it hurts to be starting from the back, especially with how good the car is feeling.
    “I will do my best, the pace is there but I wish I could be there at the front to try and do a 1-2 for the Tifosi.”
    Verstappen on his lap
    “We chose to go for a little bit more downforce around here, over one lap maybe it’s not the best but for tomorrow it should be strong.
    “I think it will be an interesting battle tomorrow.”
    Leclerc on getting pole
    “It’s amazing, it wasn’t an easy qualifying. I knew there was potential in the car but I hadn’t put everything together.
    “But happy with the (last) lap, I hope we can do just like in 2019 tomorrow.
    “I took much more risks, I knew it was the last lap. I just went for it and it worked out.”
    Tomorrow’s grid
    So considering all the penalties here’s how the front of the pack will look.
    Pole sitter Leclerc will be joined by Russell on the front row, with Norris and Ricciardo directly behind them.
    Gasly and Alonso will then take up the next row before Verstappen comes into play at P7 thanks to his five-place grid drop.
    Q3 RESULTS
    P1. LECLERC
    P2. VERSTAPPEN
    P3. SAINZ
    P4. PEREZ
    P5. HAMILTON
    P6. RUSSELL
    P7. NORRIS
    P8. RICCIARDO
    P9. GASLY
    P10. ALONSO
    It’s pole for Leclerc at Monza
    He sets an incredible 1:20.161 as the Tifosi go wild.
    Verstappen goes second but is more than a tenth back.
    LECLERC GOES FASTEST
    Hamilton helping Russell
    Hamilton once again gives Russell a toe as he uses an older set of softs, if he can beat Leclerc he will likely have pole.
    But that will be no easy feat.
    Final runs underway
    Alonso goes out early to avoid any traffic.
    The other drivers soon follow.
    Now or never.
    Russell struggling
    Russell is struggling with his tyres at the minute.
    He tells his team: “Tyres are nowhere, just sliding everywhere.”
    Sainz goes even quicker
    Sainz really is flying at the moment, if not for the penalty he would probably be a good bet to start tomorrow’s race on pole.
    He sets a 1:20.584, with Leclerc directly behind in P2.
    Crunch time
    Here we go then, time to decide who gets pole for tomorrow’s race.
    You would expect Leclerc due to the grid penalties around him, but Perez is more than capable of an upset.
    Russell meanwhile could upset the apple cart if the other two are not at the top of their game.
    Q3 underway
    Alpine disappointed, De Vries impressive
    Ocon and Alpine will doubtless be upset with that performance as the car has looked good enough for Q3 all weekend.
    Meanwhile, De Vries lands a P13 in his debut qualifying session but will move up when other penalties higher up the grid are applied.
    Q2 ELIMINATIONS
    P11. OCON
    P12. BOTTAS
    P13. DE VRIES
    P14. ZHOU
    P15. TSUNODA
    De Vries locks up
    De Vries’ quali is over after locking up going into Della Rogia (turn 3)
    Finals laps here we go
    Both Ferrari’s and Red Bull’s appear to not be going out again.
    Three minutes left
    McLaren are under threat of a double elimination at the moment.
    It’s a far cry from the 1-2 finish they had last year.
    Sainz smashes into the 1:20s
    Sainz benefits from a double toe from the two Mercedes and smashes in two fastest sectors before setting a time of 1:20.878
    He leads from Leclerc, Verstappen, Perez, Hamilton and Russell.
    Upset on the cards?
    Mercedes have looked quite weak around this track so far, and while they will in all likelihood still get into Q3 with both cars, they are vulnerable to McLaren and Alpine.
    The straight-line speed of the W13 doesn’t compete with many on the grid.
    It has among the worst drag of any car on the grid this year.
    Q2 underway
    Q1 bottom five
    It’s another poor session for Aston Martin as both drivers are eliminated from Q1.
    Haas suffer the same fate with their early gamble not paying off.
    William’s Latifi joins them meaning he has been beaten by De Vries who finishes P15 despite having a lap deleted.
    Vettel’s agony
    Vettel must have thought he had put in a good lap that session, as he yells “No way” down his team radio.
    Unfortunately, the Aston Martin just doesn’t look competitive this weekend.
    Q1 ELIMINATIONS
    P16. Latifi
    P17. Vettel
    P18. Stroll
    P19. Magnussen
    P20. Schumacher
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    F1 star Alex Albon OUT of Italian GP as he is rushed to hospital for treatment for appendicitis

    ALEX ALBON is OUT of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix as he undergoes treatment for appendicitis.The Williams ace will be replaced by reserve driver Nyck De Vries, who makes his F1 debut.
    Alex Albon will miss the Italian Grand PrixCredit: Getty
    Nyck De Vries will make his F1 debut this weekendCredit: Getty
    An official team statement read: “Williams Racing can confirm that, after feeling unwell this morning and seeking medical advice from the FIA and local hospital, Alex Albon is now undergoing treatment for appendicitis.
    “Following on from this, we can confirm that the team’s Reserve Driver Nyck de Vries will drive in place of Alex for the remainder of the Italian Grand Prix weekend.
    “Alex is in good spirits and the team wishes him a speedy recovery.”
    De Vries, 27, is a Mercedes reserve and acts as back-up for the Silver Arrows’ customer teams.
    READ MORE IN F1
    He had a run on the Monza track yesterday, driving for Aston Martin in practice.
    The Dutchman has previously driven for Williams during practice at the Spanish Grand Prix.
    He also rode Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes at July’s French Grand Prix.
    Albon, 26, has impressed in the Williams this season.
    Most read in Motorsport
    He earned his fourth point of the campaign at the Belgian Grand Prix in late August, securing an impressive tenth-placed finish.
    Albon came 12th last time out in Zandvoort.
    While the Thai-Brit went tenth quickest in FP2 yesterday. More

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    George Russell third fastest in practice at Italian Grand Prix in Monza after F1 stars pause to pay tribute to The Queen

    GEORGE RUSSELL offered the brightest hope of hearing a rendition of God Save The King come Sunday.The Mercedes man was third-quickest in the morning session and P4 in the afternoon practice for the Italian Grand Prix here at Monza.
    The paddock observed a minute’s silence before Friday’s practiceCredit: PA
    The teams came out of their garages to remember The QueenCredit: PA
    Hamilton wore a black armband to honour The QueenCredit: Getty
    Russell, who was second last weekend at the Dutch GP, was in impressive form while his team-mate, Lewis Hamilton, faces an uphill task to end his wait for his first win of the season.
    Russell said: “FP1 looked strong but then Ferrari and Red Bull looked to have taken a step forward so we have a bit of work to do.”
    Hamilton is likely to start no higher than 18th place owing to a host of grid penalties for an unscheduled engine change.
    But even with the new power unit in the back of the car, he was not as quick as Ferrari or Red Bull.
    READ MORE IN SPORT
    Hamilton said: “We made some set up changes, nothing major but they went a lot quicker. I gave it everything but it just doesn’t feel particularly quick.”
    Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who was quickest in second practice, also has the same punishment for the same rule breach.
    And AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda is facing a hefty knuckle-wrap for failing to slow for yellow flags AND driving without a seatbelt at Zandvoort.
    Prior to the first practice session, drivers held a minute’s silence in the pit lane as a tribute to Her Majesty.
    Most read in Motorsport
    The 20 racers stood in front of their garages and observed the poignant moment, before there was a short applause.
    They were joined by F1’s CEO Stefano Domenicali and the FIA’s President Mohammed bin Sulayem.
    The teams then returned to their garages and began tackling the Italian circuit.
    Championship leader, Max Verstappen, is also facing a penalty of five-places but still looking favourite for the win.
    The Dutchman has a 109-point lead in the championship over Charles Leclerc and his teammate, Sergio Perez, who are tied in second place.
    Meanwhile, Porsche have pulled the plug on their plans to join F1 with Red Bull.
    The German car brand was seeking a 50 percent stake in the Milton Keynes based F1 team.
    However, talks have now broken down with Red Bull boss Christian Horner saying the two companies had “quite different DNA”.
    Russell finished third in the first practice at MonzaCredit: Getty
    Red Bull have invested millions on building their own engine department and plan to run their own power units from 2026.
    And Horner says the deal did not stack up with Red Bull unwilling to see the business split 50:50.
    He said: “With Red Bull becoming a powertrain manufacturer in 2026, it was always natural to hold discussions.
    “Those discussions have now been concluded, and the consensus was that it was not right for Red Bull’s involvement in F1.
    “We committed to becoming a powertrain manufacturer a year and a half ago, or just over that.
    “We’ve invested massively in facilities and people and the first Red Bull engine fired up approximately a month ago.
    “So it’s a tremendously exciting new chapter for Red Bull. Porsche is a great brand, but the DNA is quite different.
    “During the discussion process it became clear that there was a strategic non-alignment.
    “Red Bull has demonstrated what it’s capable of in F1 as an independent team and now engine manufacturer.” More

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    F1 star Daniel Ricciardo reveals bizarre ‘Lando Norris tattoo’ on his neck after losing bet with McLaren driver

    MCLAREN driver Daniel Ricciardo has shown off a bizarre tattoo of team-mate Lando Norris’ head on his own NECK.And Norris returned the favour by having a honey badger, which is Ricciardo’s nickname, inked on him.
    Daniel Ricciardo has shown off a bizarre Lando Norris tattooCredit: AFP
    Norris himself has had a honey badger, which is Ricciardo’s nickname, inked on his neckCredit: PA
    Ricciardo, 33, turned up at a press conference ahead of this weekend’s Italian GP with the strange new temporary tattoo after allegedly losing a bet with his team-mate.
    The Aussie driver is set to leave McLaren at the end of the season, with Oscar Piastri in line to replace him.
    He has struggled behind the wheel for the British team, picking up just 13 points in 15 races this season.
    There have been rumours of a falling out between him and Norris, but Ricciardo was on good form in Monza as he spoke about the tattoo.
    Read More In F1
    And his response appeared to squash any suggestions of a rift between the team-mates.
    Ricciardo said on the tattoo: “I want to cover this. This is ridiculous. I have Lando’s face on my neck.
    “He looks sunburnt! We did a little thing this morning with the team. Oh gosh.”
    “He’s got a few on him as well, so. You’ll see later, I’m sure.”
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    Norris’ own tattoo also seemed to rubbish suggestions of a falling out between the pair.
    While on the other side of his neck Norris showed off a tattoo of a burning heart and the words “True Love”.
    Norris also had a burning heart with the words “True Love” splayed across his neckCredit: https://twitter.com/McLarenF1
    The Brit, 22, announced at the start of the month that he had split from girlfriend Luisinha Oliveira.
    Norris initially claimed he was “not surprised” that Ricciardo had been axed by McLaren.
    He said: “It’s not me having a dig or anything but when you look at the results, if you want two people to be at the same level then you’re not surprised.
    “People will probably hate for saying it but it’s difficult because I never know if I might encounter that in the future with this car or with a different team or whatever, so I never want to contradict myself going into the future, but I’ve just got to focus on my driving.”
    Norris then clarified his comments, insisting he gets on “really well” with Ricciardo.
    He claimed: “I want to be friends with as many people as possible, similar to how I am now with Daniel. We get on really well.  
    Read More on The Sun
    “For some reason people think otherwise, but this is completely untrue.
    “We have a lot of fun together, we spend a lot of time together. But just things are different, probably because he’s a bit older and he’s into different things.”
    Norris insisted he gets on “really well” with RicciardoCredit: Getty More

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    Mick Schumacher’s F1 career at risk with Nico Hulkenburg ‘favourite to fill remaining Haas seat for 2023’

    MICK SCHUMACHER’S Formula One career is under threat with Nico Hulkenberg reportedly “the favourite” to fill the remaining seat at Haas next season.The son of seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher, 23, is coming to the end of his second season with the team.
    Mick Schumacher’s F1 future is reportedly under threatCredit: Getty
    He has finally broken his point-scoring duck this campaign but he has also been involved in some costly crashes totalling around £4million.
    And those mistakes could play a major part in him deciding his future with Haas.
    Team principal Guenther Steiner this week insisted that Schumacher is “still in the running” for a place alongside Kevin Magnussen, with the Dane already secured of his seat for 2023.
    However, he is not the only driver in the running as Haas continue to keep their options open rather than rush a decision “and then regret it”, as Steiner puts it.
    READ MORE F1
    Engine suppliers Ferrari are also likely to have an input – but they are set to let Schumacher go from their academy at the end of this year.
    Now Auto Motor und Sport are claiming that Schumacher could lose his seat to his fellow German.
    They state that Hulkenberg may get a race seat for the first time since leaving Renault in 2019.
    Despite not being a regular on the grid, the man dubbed “Hulk” has remained in the F1 paddocks.
    Most read in Sport
    He was the reserve driver for Aston Martin, racing twice for them in 2020 and scoring points both times.
    And he filled in twice more for Sebastian Vettel at the start of this year.
    Auto Motor und Sport say that the 35-year-old is “considered the favourite for the seat” as he “was always at the same level as his team-mates right away in his five temporary assignments in place of Coronavirus victims”.
    Schumacher will struggle to get a seat elsewhere as Alpine are inundated with options – that is despite their current driver Esteban Ocon publicly recommending him. More

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    Lewis Hamilton set to start F1 Italian Grand Prix from back of grid after Mercedes fit new engine

    LEWIS HAMILTON is set to start Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix from the back of the grid after accepting an engine penalty.The seven-time World Champion has taken a fourth power unit for the season which will result in a huge grid drop.
    Hamilton will start from the back of the grid on SundayCredit: AFP
    The Mercedes man arrived at Monza this morningCredit: AP
    A Mercedes spokesperson said: “We will be fitting PU number four for this weekend for Lewis.
    “This is because although we are still working on the recovery plan for PU number three that was damaged in Spa, that unit cannot be run this weekend.
    “This will come with associated grid penalties as it’s in excess of the allocation for the season.”
    Hamilton crashed out of the Belgian GP two weeks ago after colliding with Alpine driver Fernando Alonso.
    Read More on F1
    His car sustained severe damage as a result of the 45G impact and Mercedes are still working on a plan to recover the issues.
    He bounced back at last week’s Dutch GP to claim 12 points after narrowly missing out on a podium place.
    But, he was left furious with his Mercedes team for blowing his chances at a top three finish.
    After the race, he said: “I can’t believe you screwed me like that. I can’t tell you how p****d I am.
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    “That was the biggest f*** up.”
    Team principle Toto Wolff has since defended the Brit, arguing: “You get emotional in the race. And when you’re a driver, it just comes out.
    “You can’t even stop it. This is how it has always been between a frustrated driver and the pit wall.” More

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    F1 Italian Grand Prix: Date, UK start time, live stream, TV channel, practice and qualifying for big Monza race

    MAX VERSTAPPEN is inching ever closer to another F1 Championship title as he prepares for the Italian Grand Prix this weekend. The Dutchman won his home race at Zandvoort last weekend and has been imperious for the most part this season.
    Max Verstappen won yet another race at the Dutch Grand Prix last weekendCredit: Splash
    George Russell finished second ahead of his Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton in fourthCredit: Splash
    Charles Leclerc has been his closest challenger, but the Ferrari man has struggled to keep up with his rival’s pace.
    Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton haven’t performed how they’d hoped due to porpoising issues, while George Russell has yet to win a race in F1.
    On Sunday, the world’s best drivers return to Monza, where Ferrari will be hoping they can have a homecoming to remember.
    But Verstappen can all but put his second hand on the title trophy with a victory in Italy.
    When is the Italian Grand Prix?

    The F1 Italian Grand Prix will take place this weekend on Sunday, September 11.
    The race will get underway from 2pm UK time.
    The Monza Circuit, which can hold up to 118,000 spectators, will play host.
    Practice gets going from 1pm on Friday, with qualifying to start at 3pm on Saturday.

    What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

    The F1 Italian Grand Prix will be shown live on Sky Sports F1.
    You can live stream the action from the NOW TV or Sky Go apps, both of which are available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.

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    F1 Italian Grand Prix full schedule
    Friday, September 9

    Practice One – 1pm BST
    Practice Two – 4pm BST

    Saturday, September 10

    Practice Three – 12pm BST
    Qualifying – 3pm BST

    Sunday, September 11

    Italian Grand Prix – 2pm BST More

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    Lewis Hamilton boost in hunt for first F1 win of 2022 with Max Verstappen tipped for GRID PENALTY at Italian GP

    LEWIS HAMILTON has been handed a boost as his desperate search for a first win of the F1 season continues.The 37-year-old led the Dutch GP last weekend until a bungled Mercedes tyre strategy eventually saw him finish in fourth place.
    Lewis Hamilton has been handed a boost as he seeks his first GP win of the seasonCredit: Getty
    Max Verstappen has been tipped to take a ‘grid penalty’ in Monza this weekendCredit: Splash
    Hamilton saw Max Verstappen surge past and land his 10th win of the season on home soil.
    But the Brit has had his chances to claim a first win of the campaign boosted following suggestions Verstappen will take a “grid penalty” in Monza this weekend.
    Verstappen was penalised in Belgium two weeks ago for taking on new engine parts.
    And racing legend Tom Coronel reckons Verstappen could do the same again next time out.
    READ MORE ON F1
    He told the RacingNews365 podcast: “In Monza it is low downforce, the least there is on the entire Formula 1 calendar.
    “High speeds, difficult to overtake, but with the tyre strategy and the Red Bull car we should still be able to reach P2.
    “My feeling is that Verstappen will take a grid penalty there.”
    If Verstappen does take on new engine parts, Hamilton will have the chance to build on the progress Mercedes have made this season.
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    While the Silver Arrows are yet to get a win under their belts in 2022, they have come on leaps and bounds since the start of the campaign.
    Hamilton revealed recently that he was “dying” to get back to competing head to head with Verstappen.
    And even if the 2021 world champion does take a penalty for the Italian GP, he is by no means out of the running.
    The Dutchman cruised to victory in the Belgian GP – despite starting the race 14th on the grid. More