Felipe Massa was able to top the timesheets for Saturday’s final practice session ahead of the Italian Grand Prix as heavy rain hit the ‘Temple of Speed’ at Monza.
The usual final hour of running was condensed to just 16 minutes as the session was delayed due to the conditions. Once the light did go green, only seven drivers would post timed laps as man opted to complete a simple installation lap.
Carlos Sainz would stay out, however, setting the first time followed by Toro Rosso teammate Daniil Kvyat, with the Italian team having fond memories of this circuit in the wet.
As the rain started to pour harder, Nico Hulkenberg would then remind everyone of his performance in Brazil back in 2010 taking the top spot.
Williams was the last team to go out on the track and used the slight improvement in conditions to go to the top with Felipe Massa ahead of teammate Lance Stroll, a sight that F1 has not seen for a while.
Hulkenberg’s time would hold on to third in the Renault and get him third followed by Sainz. Jolyon Palmer would grab fifth followed by Marcus Ericsson as Kvyat completed the list of drivers setting timed laps, but the final three were some three seconds off the pace of the others.
The two Ferraris looked as if they could go top, with both Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel heading out late and setting fastest times in the first two sectors before deciding to abort it and head back to the pits.
With the rain still falling, however, it could well offer the Scuderia their best chance at beating Mercedes if the track remains wet for qualifying and, as we saw in 2008, the other teams could well spring a surprise too.
