Sergio Perez tops wet first practice session in Monza

Sergio Perez topped the times in FP1 after a late session run for Force India on an ever-improving track. Conditions were torrential just before practice started but a dry line had begun to emerge by the checkered flag.

Torrential rain before the session started limited everybody to full wets at the start of the session. Daniel Ricciardo was the first at the end of the pitlane with Nico Hulkenberg joining him the queue seven minutes before the session started.

The Australian made it to Lesmo One before he encountered a problem with his new Renault power unit in his Red Bull, limping back to the pits before his team could look at the issue.

Rain limited running initially but after half an hour conditions had improved to fit intermediate tyres and the track slowly started to get busy.

Mistakes from some big names including Ricciardo, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel as they searched out the grip in the difficult conditions.

Eventually Mercedes made their way onto the track and showed their strong wet weather pace once more, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas taking turns at the top with the fastest time.

Vettel’s session ended early on after a possible hydraulic leak put him out of first practice, his gearbox having to be replaced.

A late flurry of times from Red Bull and Toro Rosso showed how the conditions were improving as a dry line began to emerge but not in time for slick tyre running.

Kimi Raikkonen finding more and more pace as he adjusted to the conditions however the Ferrari was losing a fair amount of time in the first sector, an area to improve upon after the session.

But it was the Racing Point Force India pair of Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon who kept improving and a last minute lap from the Mexican took him top of the timing sheets.