Verstappen quickest in opening F1 Italian GP practice

MONZA - Max Verstappen was fastest in Friday's first practice session for the Italian Grand Prix, pipping Charles Leclerc to the top time as he tries to get his Formula One title defence back on track.

Championship leader Verstappen clocked one minute, 21.676 seconds, 0.228sec ahead of Leclerc who is the main hope for the massed ranks of Ferrari fans at Monza.

McLaren driver Lando Norris, Verstappen's closest rival for the world title, was 0.241sec off the pace in third. 

Norris trails by 70 points in the drivers' championship after a stunning win at last weekend's Dutch GP, the fifth straight race not to be won by Red Bull's Verstappen. 

Rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli's first ever F1 drive ended quickly and in spectacular fashion as he spun off the track with just four completed laps under his belt.

The 18-year-old was given a chance by Mercedes to drive George Russell's car but lost control at the Parabolica turn 10 minutes into the session and smashed into the trackside barriers, seriously damaging the front end.

Antonelli said sorry as he climbed out unhurt, and Mercedes called the incident "unfortunate but all part of the learning curve".

"He apologised first of all, and that is what you need to do when you bring a car back that looks a little bit like a Lego box falling on the floor," said team chief Toto Wolff. 

Wolff was unperturbed by the crash, saying that "no one's interested in FP1 anyway" and adding that the Italian would get probably another chance in a Mercedes F1 car at the Mexican GP at the end of October.

Antonelli, who competes in the Formula Two championship for Prema Racing, is reported to be in contention to be Russell's teammate when seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton switches to Ferrari at the end of year.

He was not the only driver to have problems at the Parabolica as Carlos Sainz nearly slid off and Franco Colapinto, another rookie who has replaced Logan Sargeant at Williams, hit the gravel at the same corner but managed to get his car back on the track.

The second of Friday's two practice sessions gets underway at 1700 local time (1600 GMT).