Mercedes teammates Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton qualified one, two on Friday evening at Monza, in the session that set the grid for Saturday’s Qualifying Sprint event. But Verstappen beat that at 1:22.108, only to have Norris turn a 1:21.681. The fastest 15 drivers who moved on to Q2 were: Hamilton, Bottas, Norris, Verstappen, Sainz, Giovinazzi, Leclerc, Ricciardo, Perez, Vettel, Stroll, Gasly, Alonso, Ocon and Russell. But it was Bottas who was way up front at 1:20.032, which Hamilton beat at 1:19.936. The fastest 10 drivers who moved on to Q3 were: Hamilton, Bottas, Norris, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Gasly, Giovinazzi, Sainz, Leclerc and Perez. Bottas, out front, set the first time – 1:20.388, but Hamilton turned a 1:19.949 while Verstappen clocked a 1:19.966. Perez went out to give Verstappen a tow, and Bottas did the same for Hamilton. And when it was over, Bottas was out front ahead of Hamilton, Verstappen, Norris, Ricciardo, Gasly, Sainz, Leclerc, Perez and Giovinazzi.

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