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The first day of running in the 2023 F1 Italian GP ended with a Ferrari on top of the standings. Carlos Sainz put together the best time of the day in FP2 on his second run on soft tires to climb to the top and pip Lando Norris in the process.
The day was far more straightforward than several sessions this season. Except Lance Stroll bringing out an untimely red flag in FP2 and Perez's spin late in the session doing the same, every team went about their programmes.
Having said that, after two hours of running in the 2023 F1 Italian GP FP1 and FP2, what did we learn? Let's take a look.
2023 F1 Italian GP FP1 and FP2: What did we learn?
#1 Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren separate themselves from the field
Red Bull is naturally competitive this weekend while Ferrari was also expected to do well. What seems to be the surprise this weekend is the pace shown by McLaren.
The way McLaren came to race this weekend with expectations as low as they could be, one could not have expected such a turn of form.
Sure, power modes and fuel loads are a question mark. The car also seems to pack a bit more downforce as well.
One would still put Ferrari and Red Bull ahead in the pecking order but McLaren has shown that it's not an afterthought this weekend.
#2 Traffic could almost prove to be a safety hazard
The 2023 F1 Italian GP qualifying will feature a lot of cars fighting for tow to get the best lap in. Unfortunately, the nature of the track results in such a massive impact of tow that any driver would try to steal one if possible.
This led to a completely shambolic end to the 2019 F1 Italian GP qualifying a few years ago. A similar thing happened on Friday in the Formula 2 qualifying.
If not checked and regulated in some manner, this could prove to be a safety risk as well.
#3 Mercedes and Aston Martin need refinement in their setups
Mercedes and Aston Martin were expected to struggle around Monza but it does appear that the teams are in the ballpark by the looks of it.
However, they do seem to be a step behind the trio of Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren at the moment.
Mick Schumacher might have a long night ahead of him as Mercedes will be trying to fine-tune the setup for a better performance over a lap.
#4 Alpine is expectedly struggling while Williams continues to be a wildcard
Alpine's Renault power unit is just not on the same level as the other three constructors and the difference is as obvious as it can be.
It would be a tough road ahead for the team as the 2023 F1 Italian GP might not yield a point or two for the French team.
Williams, on the other hand, continues to be the dark horse. The streamlined low-drag specialist car was a treat to watch once again at the hands of Alex Albon.
While Logan Sargeant struggled, Albon showed enough performance to ratify the confidence everyone seemed to have in the car for Monza.
#5 Qualifying is going to catch a few teams out
This seems inevitable as the new qualifying format is surely going to catch a few teams out. The key reason behind this is the implementation of the new qualifying format for this race weekend.
To add to this, the tow is going to play a significant role this weekend and in a field where a tenth could be the difference between a top-10 slot and a pointless weekend, the tow is going to be crucial.
It's going to be an action-packed and unpredictable 2023 F1 Italian GP qualifying session that is going to leave many disappointed.
