GP3 Series leader Esteban Gutierrez has topped the timesheets in the free practice session at Monza, ahead of Josef Newgarden and Nico Muller.
Local driver Mirko Bortolotti led the session early on for Addax. He was joined at the top during the first part of the session by Renger van der Zande, Michael Christensen, Dean Smith and Robert Wickens, who still has a mathematical chance of stealing the inaugural GP3 crown from Gutierrez at the final round this weekend.
Gutierrez went to the top of the time sheets as the session entered the final ten minutes. The Mexican was then knocked off top spot by Mucke driver Nigel Melker, before ART's Gutierrez set the fastest time of the session.
Carlin driver Newgarden took second place from Jenzer's Muller at the end of the session. Another Jenzer driver, Simon Trummer, finished fourth quickest, ahead of Smith for Carlin. Bortolotti ended up in sixth, ahead of Daniel Juncadella, Melker and James Jakes, who is returning to racing from injury this weekend. Alexander Rossi rounded out the top ten for ART.
Wickens finished the session in twelfth for Status GP, just behind Atech CRS's Oliver Oakes. The Canadian trails Gutierrez by 18 points ahead of the final two races of the season at Monza, with a maximum of 20 points available.
Qualifying takes place at 08:45 local time on Saturday morning, with the first race late in the afternoon. The second race is scheduled for 09:25 on Sunday morning.
