PRACTICE: Verschoor leads Browning in Monza opener

Richard Verschoor led the pack in Monza for MP Motorsport. The Dutch driver set a 1:32.547 to lead Practice ahead of Luke Browning and Alexander Dunne.

AIX Racing’s Joshua Duerksen kicked off the flying laps with a 1:34.847 to go quickest early on. That was later bettered by several behind him, as drivers continued to build up tyre temperature.

Kush Maini then delivered a 1:34.064 for DAMS Lucas Oil to go to the top of the times briefly, before Dino Beganovic slotted in ahead with a 1:33.778.

Maini was able to reassert himself back into P1 with his next effort, going down to a 1:33.302, 0.133s ahead of teammate Jak Crawford after the American delivered a time to go second.

Oliver Goethe knocked the DAMS driver from the top spot next, going to P1 by just 0.030s for MP. However, teammate Verschoor then went quicker, a 1:32.547 putting him ahead of the German as both improved with just over 15 minutes left of the session.

Into the final 10 minutes and Arvid Lindblad went third for Campos Racing until Dunne displaced him with little over five left on the clock.

Browning and Dunne found more time to go second and third respectively, just before there was a Red Flag that ended the session early.

Duerksen suffered a spin at Ascari into the gravel and, with such little time left of the session, Practice was not resumed.

Qualifying in Monza is scheduled to get underway at 15:55 local time on Friday afternoon.