The Italian Grand Prix weekend has begun and ahead of the opening practice session, the Mercedes team decided to have some fun. In a series of Instagram stories, they began to play a very cheeky and risky game.
They approached various fans garbed in Ferrari colours and attempted to cajole them to the dark side. Some may see it as just banter, others might perceive it as cheap tactics. Still others may view the stunt as a test of Tifosi loyalty, and majority of the fans interviewed, passed with flying colours.
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However, it was worth noting that a couple of fans were successfully coaxed into enemy territory. This was because, those fans were later spotted inside the Mercedes garage during the Free practice sessions. As it turns out, for some, the chance of getting a VIP tour of any team is too good to pass up.
Coming to the on-track action, a soggy track greeted the drivers, so many of them prepared for an alternate career path as ballet dancers. Kimi Raikkonen and Sergio Perez found the barriers, while Carlos Sainz performed a 360° spin.
In FP2, there were yet more spins, and a number of drivers took to the run-off area at Turn 1. However, it was Scuderia Ferrari who ruled the roost in both sessions, Charles LeClerc on top. It was also worth noting that the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz Jr were 2nd and 3rd in the topsy turvy first session.
Later, in FP2, Mercedes restored normalcy when Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas settled into 2nd and 4th, with Sebastian Vettel splitting them. Meanwhile in the Red Bull camp, Alex Albon would be flying the flag as Max Verstappen picked up an engine penalty.
