That's all from us then on a pretty uneventful day of practice. There is, however, a chance of showers heading into tomorrow, which could certainly make things interesting.
I'll leave you with Andrew Benson's second practice report and a picture of Lewis Hamilton on a motorbike.
Live coverage of final practice gets under way at 09:30 BST. See you then!
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A very frustrating afternoon for Jenson Button having managed just three laps early on in FP2 before spending the rest of his time mooching around the garage. A water leak limited his running but surely it can only get better from here?
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Rubbish small talk with F1 personalities
Matt in Melton, via text: I waited 2 1/2 hours behind the McLaren garage to meet my hero, Jenson Button, at the 2010 British Grand Prix...I was next in line to get a signature when the man next to me pulled out an actual wheel of Jenson's BAR that he won the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix in. Needless to say, he signed that man's t-shirt and told me he'd ran out of time and had to go. I cheekily shouted 'Lewis would have signed it for me'. Jenson turned round, smiled, then scowled. And walked off."
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Can anyone catch the Mercedes? It is not looking likely as they were once again in a different league. Sebastian Vettel, the closest challenger, was seventh tenths of a second off their pace.
The battle between the Ferraris and the Force Indias looks closer, with just three tenths of a second between Vettel in third and Kimi Raikkonen sixth. Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg sandwiched inbetween.
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FP2 result
Formula 1Copyright: Formula 1
1) Hamilton 2) Rosberg 3) Vettel 4) Perez 5) Hulkenberg 6) Raikkonen 7) Grosjean 8) Maldonado 9) Bottas 10) Massa
11) Nasr 12) Ericsson 13) Ricciardo 14) Verstappen 15) Sainz 16) Alonso 17) Stevens 18) Merhi 19) Button 20) Kvyat
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There we go then, Lewis Hamilton dominates Friday practice. His fastest time in FP2 was just 0.021s faster than Nico Rosberg but 0.759s faster than Sebastian Vettel.
Chequered flag
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton finishes fastest in second practice for the Italian Grand Prix.
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Three minutes of FP2 left as Nico Rosberg heads in after a low 1:28 on worn mediums. Lewis Hamilton is back out for another run on the harder compound.
Toro Rosso team radio
Quote Message: "My seat has been moving around already, but it's getting worse." from Max Verstappen
"My seat has been moving around already, but it's getting worse."
As Tom Clarkson pointed out earlier, the top seven through the speed trap are all Mercedes engines. The two Force Indias up in first and third too.
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It has been a miserable session for Jenson Button but his team-mate Fernando Alonso has managed 24 laps so far this afternoon and is back out on the circuit after a couple of set-up tweaks.
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Romain Grosjean locks up on some worn mediums but completes his lap in 1:30.253. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz is certainly making up for lost time after his spin in FP1, with 41 laps completed in this session.
Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel, with 10 laps completed, is lapping in the low 1:28s on medium tyres, with Kimi Raikkonen, on softs, in the mid 1:28s.
ALLSPORTCopyright: ALLSPORT
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Lewis Hamilton, nine laps completed on the soft tyre, is lapping in the low 1:27s, with Nico Rosberg lapping about half a second slower after seven laps on the soft rubber.
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Tom Clarkson
BBC F1 pit-lane reporter
Quote Message: "Confirmation from McLaren that Jenson's car had a water leak. The floor is off, and a lot of mechanics are there, not working that hard at the moment. I'd say it is not looking good for Jenson Button."
"Confirmation from McLaren that Jenson's car had a water leak. The floor is off, and a lot of mechanics are there, not working that hard at the moment. I'd say it is not looking good for Jenson Button."
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Into the final 30 minutes of FP2 and many drivers have switched to their long-run programmes. Still no sign of Jenson Button, will he get out before the session ends?
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Tom Clarkson
BBC F1 pit-lane reporter
Quote Message: The top seven through the speed trap are Mercedes powered cars. I am looking at Christian Horner and wondering what must be going through his mind.
The top seven through the speed trap are Mercedes powered cars. I am looking at Christian Horner and wondering what must be going through his mind.
Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are both back in after five laps on the soft tyres, nothing between them at all. Could we be in for a close battle between the two this weekend?
Meanwhile Daniel Ricciardo is out on the circuit after that hydraulics issue but Jenson Button's frustrating afternoon continues. He has managed just three laps so far in FP2.
Nico Rosberg, on the softs, is fastest of all through sectors one and two but is slower through the third sector and finds himself just short of Lewis Hamilton best lap, 0.021s slower.
With 45 minutes gone, Hamilton is fastest, ahead of Nico Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel and Nico Hulkenberg.
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APCopyright: AP
Lewis Hamilton is now on the soft tyre and unsurprisingly goes fastest, clocking a 1:24.279 on his first lap on the new tyres.
Spin!
After Carlos Sainz beached his car this morning there's another Toro Rosso off the track as Max Verstappen spins into the gravel after losing his rear at Ascari. He manages to avoid the barrier and gets back onto the circuit.
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Jennie Gow
BBC Radio 5 live pit-lane reporter
Quote Message: They have taken the whole rear off Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull and we wouldn't expect him out any time soon.
They have taken the whole rear off Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull and we wouldn't expect him out any time soon.
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Remember Daniel Ricciardo had a problem earlier with his Red Bull stuck in gear? Jennie Gow has popped down to see what's happening...
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There is a new name at the top of the pile and it is Sebastian Vettel who, like his Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, has softs on and he posts a 1:25.038, 0.095 seconds faster than Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes, though, are yet to suit up with softs.
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Did you know that the town of Monza once banned goldfish bowls? How many British winners have there been of the Italian Grand Prix?
All those stats and more are in our Italian GP preview here.
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Kimi Raikkonen's first soft-tyre run moves him above Nico Hulkenberg and into third. He is about a second faster than he was on the medium tyre.
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A couple of drivers have made the switch to softs, Nico Hulkenberg among them and his first time on the new compound sees him up into third with a 1:25.720. That's half a second slower than Lewis Hamilton, who is yet to switch to the faster tyre...
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Tom Clarkson
BBC F1 pit-lane reporter
Quote Message: Jenson Button is back in his car and about to head down the pit lane. His team says he had a leak, but wouldn't specify exactly what type of leak. He is on his way out and better late than never.
Jenson Button is back in his car and about to head down the pit lane. His team says he had a leak, but wouldn't specify exactly what type of leak. He is on his way out and better late than never.
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The times they are a tumbling. Nico Rosberg goes faster, only for Lewis Hamilton to eek a little more out of his Mercedes and he leads the way with a 1:25.285.
Meanwhile, Felipe Massa pops back into the pits briefly. He's got a piece of cable stuck to the rear of his Williams, which got caught there after Romain Grosjean ran over the gravel at Ascari.
"The performance of Mercedes’ upgraded engine was something of a talking point over the lunch break, with more than one engineer rolling his eyes at the pace - both over a lap and down the straight of the silver cars.
"Mercedes F1 engine boss Andy Cowell says producing the new design - which uses all the company’s development tokens in one go - for this race was a ‘challenge’. It is as yet only available to the works team, with no date for when the customer teams will receive it.”
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Straight into P1 for Lewis Hamilton with a 1:25.683, but Nico Rosberg is on his flyer and knocks his Mercedes team-mate off the top with a 1:25.617.
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A 1:26.252 was the fastest time in FP2 last year and that has already been bettered 10 minutes into this session courtesy of Sebastian Vettel's 1:26.225.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton is out on the circuit and is embarking on his first timed effort of the afternoon...
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Nico Hulkenberg briefly pops into P1 with 1:26.439 but Sebastian Vettel slices off a couple of tenths of a second to move back on top.
Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo is touring round very slowly, his Red Bull seemingly stuck in gear.
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A few times on the board with eight or so minutes gone in the session and it is Sebastian Vettel who leads the way early on with a 1:26.548. That is almost two seconds off Lewis Hamilton's pace setting time in FP1.
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Rubbish small talk with F1 personalities
Malaysia to host 2016 finale?
James Allen
BBC Radio 5 live F1 commentator
Quote Message: I know there is not a great deal of appetite for Malaysia and Singapore to be back to back. Certainly the feeling is that Malaysia is on the move.
I know there is not a great deal of appetite for Malaysia and Singapore to be back to back. Certainly the feeling is that Malaysia is on the move.
Malaysia to host 2016 finale?
Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live analyst
Quote Message: Starting late and then a very long run in towards December will be pretty tough for everybody.
Starting late and then a very long run in towards December will be pretty tough for everybody.
Go! Go! Go!
Off we go then. Ninety minutes of second practice is under way with Fernando Alonso's McLaren glinting under the midday sun as it charges out on to the circuit.
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BBC Radio 5 live's Allan McNish: "Sunny FP2 starting at Monza in a few minutes. First runs on soft tyre will give us an idea performance but always watching for rear tyre graining."
You can listen to James Allen and co on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra right now.
Season finale in Malaysia?
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Interesting stuff from Autosport here, with the 2016 calendar apparently stretching into December and Malaysia will host the season finale.
"At present a record-breaking 21-grands prix schedule is condensed into just eight months, due to a later-than-usual start in Australia on April 3, with Abu Dhabi hosting the finale again on November 27," Autosport reports.
"However, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed to AUTOSPORT that following a request from the race organisers in Singapore, the Malaysian Grand Prix will revert to either December 4 or 11."
“Williams have released interim financial results, which as expected show a significant improvement from last year. The team posted a £42.5m loss in 2014, a result of a financial quirk that meant their pay-off for Pastor Maldonado breaking his contract having to be accounted for in 2013 rather than in 2014, when the money was actually spent.
"Over the first six months of 2015, Williams’s losses have reduced to just £1.4m, a trend the team they say they expect to continue."
The sun is out, for now...
BBC Weather's Ian Fergusson: "No problems for P2 – dry with sunny spells; warm. Later this evening (and more specifically into tonight), expect increasing likelihood of heavy, thundery downpours affecting Monza and the Milan area. Some of these could yield torrential rainfall rates with frequent lightning. Some showers / storms likely to linger into Saturday morning."
Love is in the air
Congratulations!
I think, though, the more pressing matter here is why are there a pair of legs seemingly with no body behind Lisa!
Expect the unexpected...
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During the break between sessions I had a little read of Formula1.com's 'In conversation with Bernie Ecclestone and Maurizio Arrivabene' and it is quite fascinating insight.
What in particular caught my eye was a question put to Ecclestone. He is asked of all the famous names in music he has met, who has impressed him the most. Now Bernie must have met some of the biggest names in the industry, so who will it be? Michael Jackson? Kyle Minogue? One Direction even!
"Leo Sayer," is his answer.
Yep. Didn't expect that.
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Anon, via text: Once served Paul Stoddart in a cookware shop in 2007. Asked him about Hamilton/Alonso battle. He thought (if I remember right) McLaren were handling it all wrong.
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Rubbish small talk with F1 personalities
This morning we were asking for your moments of engaging in rubbish small talk with F1 personalities - the more mundane the better like, for instance, one person bumping into Ross Brawn in a butchers in Henley.
Send us your anecdote to #bbcf1 on Twitter, or text in on 81111 (UK only)
BBC coverage
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
Will it be more of the same in second practice? The cars will be heading out on to the circuit in around 30 minutes.
You can listen to 5 live sports extra commentary from 12:55 BST.
Think of Monza and you think of the Tifosi. Passionate, vocal Ferrari fans that transform the circuit's stands into a sea of red throughout the Italian Grand Prix.
This year, they have a new name to cheer. Sebastian Vettel is racing in Italy in the team's colours for the first time.
Formula 1Copyright: Formula 1
However, the early signs are that he is going to have one heck of a task on to give the home fans something to cheer about this weekend...
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Right then, that's all from us for FP1 but we will boot up coverage again for FP2 at 12:30 BST. I fully expect plenty more revelations of how you engaged in small talk with an F1 personality in the queue at the post office by then.
Quote Message: I think it is clear who are the ones out in front at the moment. If Ferrari are going to take the fight to Mercedes, as the Tifosi will expect, they are going to have to work for it.
I think it is clear who are the ones out in front at the moment. If Ferrari are going to take the fight to Mercedes, as the Tifosi will expect, they are going to have to work for it.
First practice results
1) Hamilton 2) Rosberg 3) Vettel 4) Hulkenberg 5) Perez 6) Raikkonen 7) Ricciardo 8) Massa 9) Bottas 10) Maldonado
11) Nasr 12) Kvyat 13) Ericsson 14) Verstappen 15) Palmer 16) Sainz 17) Alonso 18) Button 19) Stevens 20) Merhi
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Routine stuff in a largely trouble-free session for all the drivers as Mercedes once again top the timesheet, Lewis Hamilton fastest ahead of Nico Rosberg.
However, it is an impressive advantage Hamilton holds, almost half a second clear of Rosberg and 1.5s ahead of Sebastian Vettel in third.
Chequered flag
Lewis Hamilton finishes fastest in first practice for the Italian Grand Prix.
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Awkward small talk with F1 personalities
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Lewis Hamilton is looking all set to finish top of the pile in FP1, with his 1:24.670 almost half a second faster than Nico Rosberg's best lap. Sebastian Vettel is third fastest with Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez fourth and fifth fastest respectively.
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Yellow flag
A couple of moments for a couple of the drivers as Felipe Massa runs wide at the exit of the Ascari chicane, before Sebastian Vettel tries to go into the first chicane with a bit too much speed, his gamble doesn't come off as he spins his Ferrari.
“So, on Thursday Lewis Hamilton said Mercedes’ engine upgrade for this race was largely to do with reliability. Mercedes are being a bit more specific, saying it is ‘effectively 2016 development pulled forward in order to make strategic use of the opportunity to use engine tokens in-season’. They say the ‘tokens give us a development platform that allows us to run and learn about a new Petronas fuel – and with a new oil to come hopefully at a future race’.
"At the moment, only the works cars have the upgrade. Mercedes say not to read too much into the speed trap times, but they exist, so here they are. In the first half-hour, Nico Rosberg was fastest at 352km/h, with Hamilton just 1km/h slower. Third fastest was the Force India of Nico Hulkenberg, still using the previous spec engine, at 343; fourth, Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari at 341.”
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Lewis Hamilton is back out on the circuit as we dip into the final 10 minutes of the session.
Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are using their third power unit of the season at Monza, with Mercedes have used all its remaining engine development tokens.
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"I have a wet bum," says Nico Hulkenberg over team radio. "It smells like petrol."
Unsurprisingly he is told to pit as Force India get ready to look into the issue.
McLaren done for FP1
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Valtteri Bottas gets into the top 10 with a 1:27.075 as eight other cars join the Williams out on the circuit.
Quote Message: "Both McLarens are up in the air at their garage. They are starting to take the floors off both cars. We know they are taking a double engine penalty but that will be done tonight. Not sure what this is for and there seems to be a problem with both of them.
"Both McLarens are up in the air at their garage. They are starting to take the floors off both cars. We know they are taking a double engine penalty but that will be done tonight. Not sure what this is for and there seems to be a problem with both of them.
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Nico Hulkenberg goes third fastest just before silence falls at Monza as everyone, except Valtteri Bottas, heads into the pits with 20 minutes remaining.
Meanwhile, there may be trouble at McLaren...
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How many attempts did it take to get this shot Jennie!
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We've had one red flag in this session, that for Carlos Sainz when he beached his Toro Rosso. He has just been speaking to Lee McKenzie.
"We don't know yet what happened," he says. "It is a bit of an unknown and we are waiting for the car to get back. It looks like we won't have time to go back out but I hope I can get out in FP2 and FP3."
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Mercedes lead the way again
Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton re-emerge on the circuit and the former edges out in front with a 1:25.423s.
Not for long, though, as Hamilton goes three tenths faster to reclaim P1.
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Lee McKenzie
BBC F1 pit-lane reporter
Quote Message: There is no real drama but there is a telemetry issue on Felipe Massa's car.
There is no real drama but there is a telemetry issue on Felipe Massa's car.
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Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live analyst
Quote Message: I am at Parabolica and McLaren look really good into this corner, really stable and balanced but their approach speed is significantly slower.
I am at Parabolica and McLaren look really good into this corner, really stable and balanced but their approach speed is significantly slower.
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Jenson Button has 10 laps under his belt so far in this session, four on the current set of mediums bolted on his McLaren but his best lap - a 1:28.4s is only 16th fastest. His team-mate Fernando Alonso is 18th fastest with 1:28.6.
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Imagine Nico Rosberg's surprise when Lewis Hamilton rocked up with his new blond hairstyle this week.
Rosberg said yesterday that he used to get loads of stick about his blond hair from Hamilton while they were karting team-mates.
On track, Hamilton still leads the way with 1:25.653, almost a second faster than his Mercedes team-mate. Eight cars out on circuit at the moment.
Slow news day in Monza?
Lee McKenzie
BBC F1 pit-lane reporter
Quote Message: "I am at Mercedes where there are at least 15 photographers. Everyone is trying to get photos of Lewis Hamilton's hair."
"I am at Mercedes where there are at least 15 photographers. Everyone is trying to get photos of Lewis Hamilton's hair."
“It’s no secret that the drivers do not like the Pirelli tyres - and it’s not just about their concerns regarding whether the company are completely on top of the safety situation. It’s also because they don’t like their characteristics, particularly not being able to push flat out all the way through the race.
"Bernie Ecclestone, who put out an extraordinary statement on Thursday in support of Pirelli, thinks this is a virtue, but the drivers most certainly do not. They don’t often vocalise it, but on Thursday Williams’s Valtteri Bottas did. What would he like from the tyres, he was asked? ‘More grip and it’s important in qualifying to have a one-lap tyre,’ the Finn said. ‘It would also be nice to push a bit more in the race, for longer and of course they need to be safe. In Formula Renault with Michelin every lap was a qualifying lap and in F3 it was the same, with Kumho.’”
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Formula 1Copyright: Formula 1
Here's the provisional standings with 40 minutes of the session done and dusted. A lull in activity as the bonus set of primes - the medium tyres - are handed back, but Daniel Ricciardo has just broken the silence.
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Lewis Hamilton, by the way, completed the fastest lap in the first part of the session with a 1:25.653. He was fastest in FP1 last year at Monza with 1:25.519
A stat for you. Michael Schumacher holds the record for completing the fastest ever race, having averaged speeds of 153mph during the 2003 Italian Grand Prix.
“The driver line-ups of two teams have pretty much fallen into place ahead of this weekend. Force India have re-signed Nico Hulkenberg for 2016 and 2017, and Williams unsurprisingly confirmed on Thursday that Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa were staying next year, as they were always going to once Ferrari went cold on the idea of buying out Bottas’s contract. It seems, too, that it’s only a matter of time before Sergio Perez is also inked in as Hulkenberg’s team-mate for a third season next year.
“‘For me, I think the news is coming quite soon,’ the Mexican said. ‘I have a contract with the team, so as you know I have a group of sponsors and we are trying to make the announcement altogether so in that respect it is all clear. We are getting to the point where very soon things should be announced, so I expect to announce my plans hopefully before the next race.’”
Massa off the mark
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Thirteen drivers have clocked timed laps now, Felipe Massa one of them with the sixth fastest time.
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Plenty of times on the board now with Pastor Maldonado the new name in P1, popping in a 1:28.330 lap.
It is only a brief stay at the top, though, as Lewis Hamilton takes over with a 1:27.616.
Closed cockpits the future?
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Fighter jet style closed cockpits have been considered, and rejected, in the pastImage caption: Fighter jet style closed cockpits have been considered, and rejected, in the past
Driver safety has been a big topic of discussion in recent weeks after IndyCar driver Justin Wilson died from head injuries in a crash in August.
The FIA said recently that they plan to test two new designs later this month, while F1 drivers on Thursday said they are open to the idea of closed cockpits.
"If one closed cockpit saves one life, it is worth doing it," said Fernando Alonso, while Lewis Hamilton added: "I see closed cockpits as potentially the future. We've had too many fatalities."
Verstappen up and running
We are 15 minutes into this session and there's not too many cars out on track, with drivers having been out for an initial recce and then returning to their respective garages.
Max Verstappen is out there though and he puts our first time on the board with a 1:30.315.
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Awkward small chat with F1 personalities
Dennis Boxem: "Not Awkward for me but for Eddie. I spent an evening talking drums with Eddie Jordan a few years ago. Awkward part was that Eddie was supposed to be at a FIA Event. Lovely guy though! And yes he wears those shirts on his off days too."
"Man is a child, his power is the power to grow," Fernando Alonso wrote on Instagram on Thursday.
I don't know what that means, but it sounds profound.
Big smile on Alonso's face here, but it looks like it is going to be another tough weekend for McLaren.
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Jolyon Palmer, as per usual for FP1, is out in the Lotus this morning, standing in for Romain Grosjean, who scored a wonderful podium in Belgium.
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With this being his first Italian Grand Prix as a Ferrari driver, Sebastian Vettel says he is keen to adopt Monza as his home race.
The German also says he is excited about experiencing something new this weekend.
"I'm looking forward to not being booed," he said on Thursday.
He's loving it already, waving to the crowd as he whizzes by the stands.
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Ferrari have splashed a few development tokens on upgrading their engine for their home race.
Team principal Maurizio Arrivabene has warned not to expect too dramatic an improvement, but says it is important for the team to be "competitive" in Monza and "thus to increase the power and torque of the engine".
Sebastian Vettel is out with some luminous paint on the rear wing of his Ferrari.
Go! Go! Go!
The green light goes on and away we go. Sebastian Vettel immediately gives the home fans something to cheer about when he takes his Ferrari onto the circuit.
Going blond & being at ease
Lewis Hamilton column
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Lewis talks about his new hair colour in his latest BBC Sport column, writing: "I was at the hairdresser and I just thought: 'I'm going to try it, let's do it.' Zero cares."
He also gives a fascinating insight into his life away from the circuit. As ever, well worth a read and you can do just that by clicking here.
Blond ambition
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton revealed his latest look this week and, as a blond myself, I reckon it is a good choice.
They say blonds have more fun and Hamilton will certainly be hoping that will be the case this weekend.
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Awkward F1 small talk
On a similar subject, have you ever found yourself engaging in awkward small talk with an F1 personality?
Ever beaten Christian Horner to the last pack of oranges in a supermarket? Bumped into a current or former driver while on holiday?
Let us know when you have briefly into someone from the world of F1 in an everyday situation, and what you said, via #bbcf1 or text in on 81111 (UK only)
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Fans have been handing over presents to Nico Rosberg following his new arrival. Always think the small talk in these situations must be pretty awkward. What do you say?
"Nice one for having a baby, Nico, by the way could you sign this picture of your face?"
Sleepless nights and changing nappies
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Nico Rosberg had a jet sitting on a runway all set to leave at the drop of the hat in Belgium last time out, with his wife expecting their first child at any moment.
Well, Rosberg junior kindly picked the time between that race and this one to enter the world, with Nico becoming a dad on Monday.
Jennie Gow tried to get a name for the new arrival on Thursday, with Nico giving little away, saying only that they are trying to decide on the spelling of the name before announcing it.
Time to get used to changing a few of these, Nico...
“The situation surrounding Pirelli’s recommendations on the tyres this weekend is confusing, to say the least. The company put out a statement saying they had found no structural problems with the tyres and attributing Sebastian Vettel’s failure to wear, they now say it was down to the ‘combined effect of debris and prolonged usage’.
“Arriving at Monza, Pirelli told the teams that they were imposing new minimum tyre pressures, an increase of more than 20% front and rear, on precautionary grounds. But when the teams and drivers raised their eyebrows at that, the limits were brought down - and will be brought down again. Which begs the question, if the limits were not necessary, why introduce them in the first place. And if their research suggested they were necessary, why has that been over-ruled by outside forces?
“It’s hard not to think Fernando Alonso hit the nail on the head on Thursday when he said: ‘They are always right because they are the experts on their product… Nevertheless, to be in F1 with the technology we have in our cars, to have these kinds of limits, is quite strange.’”
BBC coverage
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
First practice gets under way at 09:00 BST and you can listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra five minutes before.
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ReutersCopyright: Reuters
Sebastian Vettel's tyre blowout was not the only one to happen in Belgium, with Nico Rosberg's tyre failing in spectacular fashion in practice.
Both are considerably more relaxed about the situation now.
"We want to make progress and keep making progress. The feeling I got when I spoke to the Pirelli engineers is more important than any press release," said Vettel.
Meanwhile, Rosberg added: "It is being handled with extreme precision and a lot of energy is going into it, and I am happy to see that, of course, because it requires it. I am confident we will be driving safely here."
"Phew. The cars haven’t even been out on track yet and it’s already been quite a weekend here. That was inevitable following the tyre blow-outs in Spa, but even so the story as to how that would affect this weekend changed several times in the course of a hectic afternoon on Thursday.
"Now the dust has settled, the teams will be running with higher tyre pressures and reduced wheel camber on precautionary grounds. As Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton pointed out, the tyres have never been run at those pressures before. This is a journey into the unknown.”
Talking tyres again
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Hello! Welcome to our coverage of practice for the Italian Grand Prix.
It is almost two whole weeks since Lewis Hamilton breezed to his sixth race win of the season.
Since then Nico Rosberg has become a dad and Hamilton has gone for a new look. We'll get to all of that soon enough.
Tyres dominated the weekend in Belgium and they have once again been the focus of attention in Italy...
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"What’s the answer? Same as every time BEEEEEP. If this happened earlier BEEEEEP."
The old 'bleepy-noise to mask swear words machine-thing (TM)' went into overdrive after the Belgian Grand Prix as Sebastian Vettel embarked on an expletive-laden rant at Pirelli, his tyre having blown out spectacularly late in the race.
The German had two weeks to mull over the incident before arriving at Monza for this weekend's race. Has he managed to simmer down?
Live Reporting
Gary Rose
All times stated are UK
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That's all from us then on a pretty uneventful day of practice. There is, however, a chance of showers heading into tomorrow, which could certainly make things interesting.
I'll leave you with Andrew Benson's second practice report and a picture of Lewis Hamilton on a motorbike.
Live coverage of final practice gets under way at 09:30 BST. See you then!
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A very frustrating afternoon for Jenson Button having managed just three laps early on in FP2 before spending the rest of his time mooching around the garage. A water leak limited his running but surely it can only get better from here?
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Rubbish small talk with F1 personalities
Matt in Melton, via text: I waited 2 1/2 hours behind the McLaren garage to meet my hero, Jenson Button, at the 2010 British Grand Prix...I was next in line to get a signature when the man next to me pulled out an actual wheel of Jenson's BAR that he won the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix in. Needless to say, he signed that man's t-shirt and told me he'd ran out of time and had to go. I cheekily shouted 'Lewis would have signed it for me'. Jenson turned round, smiled, then scowled. And walked off."
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Can anyone catch the Mercedes? It is not looking likely as they were once again in a different league. Sebastian Vettel, the closest challenger, was seventh tenths of a second off their pace.
The battle between the Ferraris and the Force Indias looks closer, with just three tenths of a second between Vettel in third and Kimi Raikkonen sixth. Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg sandwiched inbetween.
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FP2 result
1) Hamilton 2) Rosberg 3) Vettel 4) Perez 5) Hulkenberg 6) Raikkonen 7) Grosjean 8) Maldonado 9) Bottas 10) Massa
11) Nasr 12) Ericsson 13) Ricciardo 14) Verstappen 15) Sainz 16) Alonso 17) Stevens 18) Merhi 19) Button 20) Kvyat
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There we go then, Lewis Hamilton dominates Friday practice. His fastest time in FP2 was just 0.021s faster than Nico Rosberg but 0.759s faster than Sebastian Vettel.
Chequered flag
Lewis Hamilton finishes fastest in second practice for the Italian Grand Prix.
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Three minutes of FP2 left as Nico Rosberg heads in after a low 1:28 on worn mediums. Lewis Hamilton is back out for another run on the harder compound.
Toro Rosso team radio
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As Tom Clarkson pointed out earlier, the top seven through the speed trap are all Mercedes engines. The two Force Indias up in first and third too.
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It has been a miserable session for Jenson Button but his team-mate Fernando Alonso has managed 24 laps so far this afternoon and is back out on the circuit after a couple of set-up tweaks.
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Romain Grosjean locks up on some worn mediums but completes his lap in 1:30.253. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz is certainly making up for lost time after his spin in FP1, with 41 laps completed in this session.
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Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel, with 10 laps completed, is lapping in the low 1:28s on medium tyres, with Kimi Raikkonen, on softs, in the mid 1:28s.
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Lewis Hamilton, nine laps completed on the soft tyre, is lapping in the low 1:27s, with Nico Rosberg lapping about half a second slower after seven laps on the soft rubber.
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Tom Clarkson
BBC F1 pit-lane reporter
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Into the final 30 minutes of FP2 and many drivers have switched to their long-run programmes. Still no sign of Jenson Button, will he get out before the session ends?
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Tom Clarkson
BBC F1 pit-lane reporter
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Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are both back in after five laps on the soft tyres, nothing between them at all. Could we be in for a close battle between the two this weekend?
Meanwhile Daniel Ricciardo is out on the circuit after that hydraulics issue but Jenson Button's frustrating afternoon continues. He has managed just three laps so far in FP2.
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Nico Rosberg, on the softs, is fastest of all through sectors one and two but is slower through the third sector and finds himself just short of Lewis Hamilton best lap, 0.021s slower.
With 45 minutes gone, Hamilton is fastest, ahead of Nico Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel and Nico Hulkenberg.
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Lewis Hamilton is now on the soft tyre and unsurprisingly goes fastest, clocking a 1:24.279 on his first lap on the new tyres.
Spin!
After Carlos Sainz beached his car this morning there's another Toro Rosso off the track as Max Verstappen spins into the gravel after losing his rear at Ascari. He manages to avoid the barrier and gets back onto the circuit.
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Jennie Gow
BBC Radio 5 live pit-lane reporter
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Remember Daniel Ricciardo had a problem earlier with his Red Bull stuck in gear? Jennie Gow has popped down to see what's happening...
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There is a new name at the top of the pile and it is Sebastian Vettel who, like his Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, has softs on and he posts a 1:25.038, 0.095 seconds faster than Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes, though, are yet to suit up with softs.
Want stats? We've got stats
Did you know that the town of Monza once banned goldfish bowls? How many British winners have there been of the Italian Grand Prix?
All those stats and more are in our Italian GP preview here.
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Kimi Raikkonen's first soft-tyre run moves him above Nico Hulkenberg and into third. He is about a second faster than he was on the medium tyre.
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A couple of drivers have made the switch to softs, Nico Hulkenberg among them and his first time on the new compound sees him up into third with a 1:25.720. That's half a second slower than Lewis Hamilton, who is yet to switch to the faster tyre...
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Tom Clarkson
BBC F1 pit-lane reporter
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The times they are a tumbling. Nico Rosberg goes faster, only for Lewis Hamilton to eek a little more out of his Mercedes and he leads the way with a 1:25.285.
Meanwhile, Felipe Massa pops back into the pits briefly. He's got a piece of cable stuck to the rear of his Williams, which got caught there after Romain Grosjean ran over the gravel at Ascari.
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Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
"The performance of Mercedes’ upgraded engine was something of a talking point over the lunch break, with more than one engineer rolling his eyes at the pace - both over a lap and down the straight of the silver cars.
"Mercedes F1 engine boss Andy Cowell says producing the new design - which uses all the company’s development tokens in one go - for this race was a ‘challenge’. It is as yet only available to the works team, with no date for when the customer teams will receive it.”
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Straight into P1 for Lewis Hamilton with a 1:25.683, but Nico Rosberg is on his flyer and knocks his Mercedes team-mate off the top with a 1:25.617.
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A 1:26.252 was the fastest time in FP2 last year and that has already been bettered 10 minutes into this session courtesy of Sebastian Vettel's 1:26.225.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton is out on the circuit and is embarking on his first timed effort of the afternoon...
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Nico Hulkenberg briefly pops into P1 with 1:26.439 but Sebastian Vettel slices off a couple of tenths of a second to move back on top.
Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo is touring round very slowly, his Red Bull seemingly stuck in gear.
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A few times on the board with eight or so minutes gone in the session and it is Sebastian Vettel who leads the way early on with a 1:26.548. That is almost two seconds off Lewis Hamilton's pace setting time in FP1.
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Malaysia to host 2016 finale?
James Allen
BBC Radio 5 live F1 commentator
Malaysia to host 2016 finale?
Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live analyst
Go! Go! Go!
Off we go then. Ninety minutes of second practice is under way with Fernando Alonso's McLaren glinting under the midday sun as it charges out on to the circuit.
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BBC Radio 5 live's Allan McNish: "Sunny FP2 starting at Monza in a few minutes. First runs on soft tyre will give us an idea performance but always watching for rear tyre graining."
Live now
You can listen to James Allen and co on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra right now.
Season finale in Malaysia?
Interesting stuff from Autosport here, with the 2016 calendar apparently stretching into December and Malaysia will host the season finale.
"At present a record-breaking 21-grands prix schedule is condensed into just eight months, due to a later-than-usual start in Australia on April 3, with Abu Dhabi hosting the finale again on November 27," Autosport reports.
"However, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed to AUTOSPORT that following a request from the race organisers in Singapore, the Malaysian Grand Prix will revert to either December 4 or 11."
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Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
“Williams have released interim financial results, which as expected show a significant improvement from last year. The team posted a £42.5m loss in 2014, a result of a financial quirk that meant their pay-off for Pastor Maldonado breaking his contract having to be accounted for in 2013 rather than in 2014, when the money was actually spent.
"Over the first six months of 2015, Williams’s losses have reduced to just £1.4m, a trend the team they say they expect to continue."
The sun is out, for now...
BBC Weather's Ian Fergusson: "No problems for P2 – dry with sunny spells; warm. Later this evening (and more specifically into tonight), expect increasing likelihood of heavy, thundery downpours affecting Monza and the Milan area. Some of these could yield torrential rainfall rates with frequent lightning. Some showers / storms likely to linger into Saturday morning."
Love is in the air
Congratulations!
I think, though, the more pressing matter here is why are there a pair of legs seemingly with no body behind Lisa!
Expect the unexpected...
During the break between sessions I had a little read of Formula1.com's 'In conversation with Bernie Ecclestone and Maurizio Arrivabene' and it is quite fascinating insight.
What in particular caught my eye was a question put to Ecclestone. He is asked of all the famous names in music he has met, who has impressed him the most. Now Bernie must have met some of the biggest names in the industry, so who will it be? Michael Jackson? Kyle Minogue? One Direction even!
"Leo Sayer," is his answer.
Yep. Didn't expect that.
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Anon, via text: Once served Paul Stoddart in a cookware shop in 2007. Asked him about Hamilton/Alonso battle. He thought (if I remember right) McLaren were handling it all wrong.
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Rubbish small talk with F1 personalities
This morning we were asking for your moments of engaging in rubbish small talk with F1 personalities - the more mundane the better like, for instance, one person bumping into Ross Brawn in a butchers in Henley.
Send us your anecdote to #bbcf1 on Twitter, or text in on 81111 (UK only)
BBC coverage
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
Will it be more of the same in second practice? The cars will be heading out on to the circuit in around 30 minutes.
You can listen to 5 live sports extra commentary from 12:55 BST.
Mercedes dominate (again)
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
"Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were in a league of their own in first practice.
"Using an upgraded engine to spectacular effect, Hamilton was 1.588 seconds faster than the rest of the field - headed by Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel.
"The world champion was 0.463secs ahead of team-mate Rosberg, who he heads by 28 points in the championship."
Read Andrew Benson's FP1 report here.
The Tifosi expects...
Think of Monza and you think of the Tifosi. Passionate, vocal Ferrari fans that transform the circuit's stands into a sea of red throughout the Italian Grand Prix.
This year, they have a new name to cheer. Sebastian Vettel is racing in Italy in the team's colours for the first time.
However, the early signs are that he is going to have one heck of a task on to give the home fans something to cheer about this weekend...
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Right then, that's all from us for FP1 but we will boot up coverage again for FP2 at 12:30 BST. I fully expect plenty more revelations of how you engaged in small talk with an F1 personality in the queue at the post office by then.
Here's Andrew Benson's report and we'll see you in just under two hours.
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Awkward small talk with F1 personalites
You have been telling us your stories of engaging in slightly uncomfortable chitchat with personalities from the world of F1.
We've had some belters so far, keep them coming!
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Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live analyst
First practice results
1) Hamilton 2) Rosberg 3) Vettel 4) Hulkenberg 5) Perez 6) Raikkonen 7) Ricciardo 8) Massa 9) Bottas 10) Maldonado
11) Nasr 12) Kvyat 13) Ericsson 14) Verstappen 15) Palmer 16) Sainz 17) Alonso 18) Button 19) Stevens 20) Merhi
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Routine stuff in a largely trouble-free session for all the drivers as Mercedes once again top the timesheet, Lewis Hamilton fastest ahead of Nico Rosberg.
However, it is an impressive advantage Hamilton holds, almost half a second clear of Rosberg and 1.5s ahead of Sebastian Vettel in third.
Chequered flag
Lewis Hamilton finishes fastest in first practice for the Italian Grand Prix.
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Lewis Hamilton is looking all set to finish top of the pile in FP1, with his 1:24.670 almost half a second faster than Nico Rosberg's best lap. Sebastian Vettel is third fastest with Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez fourth and fifth fastest respectively.
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Yellow flag
A couple of moments for a couple of the drivers as Felipe Massa runs wide at the exit of the Ascari chicane, before Sebastian Vettel tries to go into the first chicane with a bit too much speed, his gamble doesn't come off as he spins his Ferrari.
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Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
“So, on Thursday Lewis Hamilton said Mercedes’ engine upgrade for this race was largely to do with reliability. Mercedes are being a bit more specific, saying it is ‘effectively 2016 development pulled forward in order to make strategic use of the opportunity to use engine tokens in-season’. They say the ‘tokens give us a development platform that allows us to run and learn about a new Petronas fuel – and with a new oil to come hopefully at a future race’.
"At the moment, only the works cars have the upgrade. Mercedes say not to read too much into the speed trap times, but they exist, so here they are. In the first half-hour, Nico Rosberg was fastest at 352km/h, with Hamilton just 1km/h slower. Third fastest was the Force India of Nico Hulkenberg, still using the previous spec engine, at 343; fourth, Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari at 341.”
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Lewis Hamilton is back out on the circuit as we dip into the final 10 minutes of the session.
Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are using their third power unit of the season at Monza, with Mercedes have used all its remaining engine development tokens.
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"I have a wet bum," says Nico Hulkenberg over team radio. "It smells like petrol."
Unsurprisingly he is told to pit as Force India get ready to look into the issue.
McLaren done for FP1
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Valtteri Bottas gets into the top 10 with a 1:27.075 as eight other cars join the Williams out on the circuit.
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Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live analyst
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Nico Hulkenberg goes third fastest just before silence falls at Monza as everyone, except Valtteri Bottas, heads into the pits with 20 minutes remaining.
Meanwhile, there may be trouble at McLaren...
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How many attempts did it take to get this shot Jennie!
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We've had one red flag in this session, that for Carlos Sainz when he beached his Toro Rosso. He has just been speaking to Lee McKenzie.
"We don't know yet what happened," he says. "It is a bit of an unknown and we are waiting for the car to get back. It looks like we won't have time to go back out but I hope I can get out in FP2 and FP3."
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Mercedes lead the way again
Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton re-emerge on the circuit and the former edges out in front with a 1:25.423s.
Not for long, though, as Hamilton goes three tenths faster to reclaim P1.
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Lee McKenzie
BBC F1 pit-lane reporter
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Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live analyst
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Jenson Button has 10 laps under his belt so far in this session, four on the current set of mediums bolted on his McLaren but his best lap - a 1:28.4s is only 16th fastest. His team-mate Fernando Alonso is 18th fastest with 1:28.6.
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Imagine Nico Rosberg's surprise when Lewis Hamilton rocked up with his new blond hairstyle this week.
Rosberg said yesterday that he used to get loads of stick about his blond hair from Hamilton while they were karting team-mates.
On track, Hamilton still leads the way with 1:25.653, almost a second faster than his Mercedes team-mate. Eight cars out on circuit at the moment.
Slow news day in Monza?
Lee McKenzie
BBC F1 pit-lane reporter
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Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
“It’s no secret that the drivers do not like the Pirelli tyres - and it’s not just about their concerns regarding whether the company are completely on top of the safety situation. It’s also because they don’t like their characteristics, particularly not being able to push flat out all the way through the race.
"Bernie Ecclestone, who put out an extraordinary statement on Thursday in support of Pirelli, thinks this is a virtue, but the drivers most certainly do not. They don’t often vocalise it, but on Thursday Williams’s Valtteri Bottas did. What would he like from the tyres, he was asked? ‘More grip and it’s important in qualifying to have a one-lap tyre,’ the Finn said. ‘It would also be nice to push a bit more in the race, for longer and of course they need to be safe. In Formula Renault with Michelin every lap was a qualifying lap and in F3 it was the same, with Kumho.’”
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Here's the provisional standings with 40 minutes of the session done and dusted. A lull in activity as the bonus set of primes - the medium tyres - are handed back, but Daniel Ricciardo has just broken the silence.
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Lewis Hamilton, by the way, completed the fastest lap in the first part of the session with a 1:25.653. He was fastest in FP1 last year at Monza with 1:25.519
A stat for you. Michael Schumacher holds the record for completing the fastest ever race, having averaged speeds of 153mph during the 2003 Italian Grand Prix.
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Sainz stops
It looks like Sainz's rears locked as he touched the brakes and there was nothing he could do to prevent him skating off the circuit.
"I don't know why I lost the car in the braking," he says over team radio before clambering out of his car.
Red flag
Red flag as Carlos Sainz slides off heading into the final corner and his Toro Rosso is beached into the gravel.
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Allan McNish has discussed in depth the issue of driver safety in the cockpit in his latest column. Have a read of his thoughts on the subject here.
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Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
“The driver line-ups of two teams have pretty much fallen into place ahead of this weekend. Force India have re-signed Nico Hulkenberg for 2016 and 2017, and Williams unsurprisingly confirmed on Thursday that Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa were staying next year, as they were always going to once Ferrari went cold on the idea of buying out Bottas’s contract. It seems, too, that it’s only a matter of time before Sergio Perez is also inked in as Hulkenberg’s team-mate for a third season next year.
“‘For me, I think the news is coming quite soon,’ the Mexican said. ‘I have a contract with the team, so as you know I have a group of sponsors and we are trying to make the announcement altogether so in that respect it is all clear. We are getting to the point where very soon things should be announced, so I expect to announce my plans hopefully before the next race.’”
Massa off the mark
Thirteen drivers have clocked timed laps now, Felipe Massa one of them with the sixth fastest time.
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Plenty of times on the board now with Pastor Maldonado the new name in P1, popping in a 1:28.330 lap.
It is only a brief stay at the top, though, as Lewis Hamilton takes over with a 1:27.616.
Closed cockpits the future?
Driver safety has been a big topic of discussion in recent weeks after IndyCar driver Justin Wilson died from head injuries in a crash in August.
The FIA said recently that they plan to test two new designs later this month, while F1 drivers on Thursday said they are open to the idea of closed cockpits.
"If one closed cockpit saves one life, it is worth doing it," said Fernando Alonso, while Lewis Hamilton added: "I see closed cockpits as potentially the future. We've had too many fatalities."
Verstappen up and running
We are 15 minutes into this session and there's not too many cars out on track, with drivers having been out for an initial recce and then returning to their respective garages.
Max Verstappen is out there though and he puts our first time on the board with a 1:30.315.
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Awkward small chat with F1 personalities
Dennis Boxem: "Not Awkward for me but for Eddie. I spent an evening talking drums with Eddie Jordan a few years ago. Awkward part was that Eddie was supposed to be at a FIA Event. Lovely guy though! And yes he wears those shirts on his off days too."
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Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
"McLaren's Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button will start from the back at Sunday's Italian Grand Prix after the latest in a series of engine penalties.
"Both drivers will have new Honda engines fitted for the race, triggering a 10-place penalty for Alonso and a five-place drop for Button at Monza.
"The car's lack of pace means they are likely to drop to the back of the grid. Alonso and Button were hit with a record penalty of a total of 105 grid positions at the last race in Belgium."
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"Man is a child, his power is the power to grow," Fernando Alonso wrote on Instagram on Thursday.
I don't know what that means, but it sounds profound.
Big smile on Alonso's face here, but it looks like it is going to be another tough weekend for McLaren.
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Jolyon Palmer, as per usual for FP1, is out in the Lotus this morning, standing in for Romain Grosjean, who scored a wonderful podium in Belgium.
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With this being his first Italian Grand Prix as a Ferrari driver, Sebastian Vettel says he is keen to adopt Monza as his home race.
The German also says he is excited about experiencing something new this weekend.
"I'm looking forward to not being booed," he said on Thursday.
He's loving it already, waving to the crowd as he whizzes by the stands.
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Ferrari have splashed a few development tokens on upgrading their engine for their home race.
Team principal Maurizio Arrivabene has warned not to expect too dramatic an improvement, but says it is important for the team to be "competitive" in Monza and "thus to increase the power and torque of the engine".
Sebastian Vettel is out with some luminous paint on the rear wing of his Ferrari.
Go! Go! Go!
The green light goes on and away we go. Sebastian Vettel immediately gives the home fans something to cheer about when he takes his Ferrari onto the circuit.
Going blond & being at ease
Lewis Hamilton column
Lewis talks about his new hair colour in his latest BBC Sport column, writing: "I was at the hairdresser and I just thought: 'I'm going to try it, let's do it.' Zero cares."
He also gives a fascinating insight into his life away from the circuit. As ever, well worth a read and you can do just that by clicking here.
Blond ambition
Lewis Hamilton revealed his latest look this week and, as a blond myself, I reckon it is a good choice.
They say blonds have more fun and Hamilton will certainly be hoping that will be the case this weekend.
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Awkward F1 small talk
On a similar subject, have you ever found yourself engaging in awkward small talk with an F1 personality?
Ever beaten Christian Horner to the last pack of oranges in a supermarket? Bumped into a current or former driver while on holiday?
Let us know when you have briefly into someone from the world of F1 in an everyday situation, and what you said, via #bbcf1 or text in on 81111 (UK only)
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Fans have been handing over presents to Nico Rosberg following his new arrival. Always think the small talk in these situations must be pretty awkward. What do you say?
"Nice one for having a baby, Nico, by the way could you sign this picture of your face?"
Sleepless nights and changing nappies
Nico Rosberg had a jet sitting on a runway all set to leave at the drop of the hat in Belgium last time out, with his wife expecting their first child at any moment.
Well, Rosberg junior kindly picked the time between that race and this one to enter the world, with Nico becoming a dad on Monday.
Jennie Gow tried to get a name for the new arrival on Thursday, with Nico giving little away, saying only that they are trying to decide on the spelling of the name before announcing it.
Time to get used to changing a few of these, Nico...
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Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
“The situation surrounding Pirelli’s recommendations on the tyres this weekend is confusing, to say the least. The company put out a statement saying they had found no structural problems with the tyres and attributing Sebastian Vettel’s failure to wear, they now say it was down to the ‘combined effect of debris and prolonged usage’.
“Arriving at Monza, Pirelli told the teams that they were imposing new minimum tyre pressures, an increase of more than 20% front and rear, on precautionary grounds. But when the teams and drivers raised their eyebrows at that, the limits were brought down - and will be brought down again. Which begs the question, if the limits were not necessary, why introduce them in the first place. And if their research suggested they were necessary, why has that been over-ruled by outside forces?
“It’s hard not to think Fernando Alonso hit the nail on the head on Thursday when he said: ‘They are always right because they are the experts on their product… Nevertheless, to be in F1 with the technology we have in our cars, to have these kinds of limits, is quite strange.’”
BBC coverage
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
First practice gets under way at 09:00 BST and you can listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra five minutes before.
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Sebastian Vettel's tyre blowout was not the only one to happen in Belgium, with Nico Rosberg's tyre failing in spectacular fashion in practice.
Both are considerably more relaxed about the situation now.
"We want to make progress and keep making progress. The feeling I got when I spoke to the Pirelli engineers is more important than any press release," said Vettel.
Meanwhile, Rosberg added: "It is being handled with extreme precision and a lot of energy is going into it, and I am happy to see that, of course, because it requires it. I am confident we will be driving safely here."
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Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
"Phew. The cars haven’t even been out on track yet and it’s already been quite a weekend here. That was inevitable following the tyre blow-outs in Spa, but even so the story as to how that would affect this weekend changed several times in the course of a hectic afternoon on Thursday.
"Now the dust has settled, the teams will be running with higher tyre pressures and reduced wheel camber on precautionary grounds. As Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton pointed out, the tyres have never been run at those pressures before. This is a journey into the unknown.”
Talking tyres again
Hello! Welcome to our coverage of practice for the Italian Grand Prix.
It is almost two whole weeks since Lewis Hamilton breezed to his sixth race win of the season.
Since then Nico Rosberg has become a dad and Hamilton has gone for a new look. We'll get to all of that soon enough.
Tyres dominated the weekend in Belgium and they have once again been the focus of attention in Italy...
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"What’s the answer? Same as every time BEEEEEP. If this happened earlier BEEEEEP."
The old 'bleepy-noise to mask swear words machine-thing (TM)' went into overdrive after the Belgian Grand Prix as Sebastian Vettel embarked on an expletive-laden rant at Pirelli, his tyre having blown out spectacularly late in the race.
The German had two weeks to mull over the incident before arriving at Monza for this weekend's race. Has he managed to simmer down?