14:24 – No fewer than eight drivers have to join the race management in the run-up to qualifying in Italy for a dangerous moment at the end of the third free practice at Monza.
Lewis Hamilton rushed at high speed on the last corner of the track with a few minutes left on the clock, when he suddenly had to make a hefty evasive maneuver as a tangle of cars slowly crossed the track in front of him. The reigning World Champion, on his way back to the pits, flew between different cars from the left to the right side of the track to cross the grass with two wheels.
First came a report that Nicholas Latifi, Romain Grosjean, Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton should join the stewards for the incident. Then came the message that Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz must also report to the race management. The seven riders heading at a snail’s pace on the Parabolica while preparing for their final flying lap risk a penalty for unnecessarily slow driving.
Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas was the fastest man in the final practice, ahead of McLaren duo Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris. Daniel Ricciardo was fourth fastest before he had to put his Renault aside with a technical problem. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were stuck in fifth and sixth fastest time.
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