Runaway championship leader Max Verstappen lays down early marker for 10 Grand Prix wins in a row as Red Bull world champion goes quickest in Monza in Italian GP practice

Max Verstappen set an early milestone in his bid to win ten consecutive races by setting the fastest time in practice for the Italian Grand Prix.

The two-time world champion beat Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by 0.046 seconds in Monza, while Sergio Perez was third in the other Red Bull.

Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari at the Italian team’s home event, one place ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, while Lewis Hamilton finished the opening race of the weekend in eighth.

Verstappen has dominated Formula 1 this season – winning eleven of the thirteen rounds so far – and will make history on Sunday if he takes another win.

The Red Bull driver – already 138 points clear in his pursuit of a third world championship – is tied with Sebastian Vettel with nine wins and, based on field experience, is poised to take another win and set a new record .

Hamilton ended his long-running contract story ahead of this weekend’s race by putting a new £50million-a-year deal in writing.

But the seven-time world champion finished the first practice six tenths behind Verstappen and one tenth behind teammate Russell.

Ferrari have had a poor season, but showed early promise for their fanatical supporters at the Temple of Speed, with Sainz and Leclerc in second and fourth respectively.

Elsewhere, Fernando Alonso, who finished second to Verstappen at last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, was sixth ahead of Aston Martin, one place ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.

The second practice starts at 5pm local time (4pm BST).