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Sutil tops Monza F1 practice
11 September 2009
Adrian Sutil continued Force India's excellent form by setting fastest time in practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
The two Renaults completed the top three, with the inexperienced Romain Grosjean impressively beating his double world champion team-mate Fernando Alonso.
See the Monza high-res photo gallery here
“I just had a good day," said Sutil. "The car has been increasingly competitive over the past few races, especially in Spa. At the moment – P3 in the morning, and now P1 – it gives me a very good feeling and I’m absolutely confident that the car will be able to achieve a very good qualifying position.
“It’s no game. You have to push. It’s hard to get to P1, but if everything is right and you feel good in the car, then there’s no reason why you can’t get there.
“I think I’ve got the experience to go out and be quick, and that’s what I’m doing right now.”
Spa winner Kimi Raikkonen was eighth, while team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella was slowest of all in the second Ferrari - although he was a respectable 0.8s down on the Finn.
Championship leader Jenson Button only managed to beat Fisichella, taking 19th. Lewis Hamilton set fastest time in practice, but dropped to 11th in the faster second session.
Times:
1 Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) 1:23.924
2 Grosjean (Renault) +0.239
3 Alonso (Renault) +0.373
4 Kovalainen (McLaren-Mercedes) +0.558
5 Kubica (BMW-Sauber) +0.698
6 Glock (Toyota) +0.710
7 Heidfeld (BMW-Sauber) +0.769
8 Raikkonen (Ferrari) +0.872
9 Nakajima (Williams-Toyota) +0.875
10 Buemi (Toro Rosso-Ferrari) +0.960
11 Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) +0.978
12 Liuzzi (Force India-Mercedes) +0.997
13 Trulli (Toyota) +1.043
14 Webber (Red Bull-Renault) +1.055
15 Alguersuari (Toro Rosso-Ferrari) +1.079
16 Barrichello (Brawn-Mercedes) +1.216
17 Rosberg (Williams-Toyota) +1.291
18 Vettel (Red Bull-Renault) +1.462
19 Button (Brawn-Mercedes) +1.500
20 Fisichella (Ferrari) +1.619
All timing unofficial
Stuart Codling
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