Oscar Piastri 'Amazed' by Williams' 'Surprise Form' at Monza Practice

Oscar Piastri expressed his astonishment at Williams' strong performance during the opening day of practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The Grove-based team often excels on this high-speed circuit, and Friday's sessions underscored this trend.

Why it matters: Williams' unexpected pace could shake up the midfield, adding an intriguing element to what's already expected to be a tight qualifying session and race. Their performance indicates strong underlying car characteristics suited to Monza's unique demands.

The big picture:

• Williams demonstrated impressive speed throughout Friday's practice sessions.
• Carlos Sainz of Ferrari topped FP2, with less than a tenth of a second separating the top three drivers, indicating an extremely competitive field.
• Piastri noted Williams looked "strong in both sessions."

Piastri's session:

• Piastri sat out FP1 for rookie Alex Dunne but returned for FP2, finishing fourth.
• He acknowledged needing to "tweak a little bit more tomorrow and find a little bit more pace" for qualifying.
• Despite the missed session, he felt he "hit the ground running" and that the car "felt pretty good."

What's next: Qualifying at Monza is anticipated to be extremely close, with multiple teams vying for top positions. Williams' Friday performance suggests they could be a genuine threat for points, or even higher, if they maintain their pace.