Italian F1 Grand Prix 2017: Start Time, Drivers, TV Schedule and More
Lewis Hamilton's bid to make up more ground on Sebastian Vettel in the driver standings continues at the 2017 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.
It's the 13th round of the championship, and Hamilton finds himself seven points adrift of Vettel. However, he can take confidence from winning the 2017 Belgian Grand Prix last time out.
Hamilton and Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas also bossed the opening two practice sessions, sending a message to Vettel and Ferrari in the process. It was a clear reminder of the power and speed of the Mercedes engines.
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Before a look at some of the top drivers, here are the schedule and viewing details for the big race:
Date: Sunday, September 3
Start Time: 1 p.m. BST/8 a.m. ET
TV Info: Sky Sports F1, NBCSN
Live Stream: Sky Go, NBC Sports App
The focus will naturally be on Hamilton and Vettel's tussle at the top. Hamilton closed the gap at Spa, but Vettel still owns a seven-point lead in the driver standings. However, the German can't afford many more slips, especially with Hamilton finding form at the right time.
Worryingly for Ferrari, Vettel has already expressed a lack of confidence in his car, per Lawrence Barretto of Motorsport.com: "We can improve the car. I don't yet have the confidence I want and need round here. There are a couple of things we need to do better—car balance, stability and braking, which is important round here to get the confidence."
Vettel also made his feelings clear on his official Twitter account:
He may have misgivings about his car, but Vettel can take encouragement from his decorated history in this race. He will arrive in Monza as a three-time previous winner of this Grand Prix, including his first F1 win.
Hamilton is also a three-time winner and is determined to reduce Vettel's lead in the standings. It's a prospect he admits he looks forward to, per Nick Stamford of the Daily Express: "He's had that smile on his face all year long, being that he's had that title lead. So I'm looking forward to turning that upside down."
Hamilton also revealed how Vettel has the stronger support in Monza, thanks to the local fans' affinity with Italian car giant Ferrari.
Vettel may have the stronger support, but Hamilton has the superior vehicle. It's a fact reinforced by the performance of Hamilton and Bottas during the practice races, per BBC Sport's Andrew Benson: "Hamilton was 0.435 seconds quicker than the Finn—and more than a second in front of title rival Sebastian Vettel, who is seven points ahead after 12 of 20 races."
Engine trouble has left Red Bull Racing facing a uphill struggle to mount a credible challenge against Mercedes and Ferrari. Problems forced Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen to incur grid penalties after changing engines, per James Galloway and Pete Gill of Sky Sports F1.
It means Verstappen and Ricciardo will find themselves starting at the back at Monza. Realistically, the penalties rule out the pair from earning places on the podium this Sunday.
Instead, another of this season's big races will rapidly evolve into a two-way fight between Hamilton and Vettel. Momentum is with the former, but Vettel also knows what it takes to win in Monza.
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