Italian Grand Prix: Lando Norris fastest from Charles Leclerc in Friday practice at Monza

Lando Norris topped Friday practice at the Italian Grand Prix at the start of a weekend in which he needs to make inroads into team-mate Oscar Piastri’s championship lead.

Norris dropped to 34 points behind the Australian with nine races remaining following a retirement in last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, the first race after Formula 1’s summer break.

Norris was 0.083 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in second place, ahead of Williams’ Carlos Sainz, Piastri, the second Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.

Hamilton has a five-place grid penalty for the grand prix after an infringement on the reconnaissance laps before the Dutch event.

Piastri missed the first practice session as McLaren protege Alex Dunne was driving his car, and set his fastest time on his second lap on the soft tyres after a problem on his first attempt.