Rosberg tops FP2 at Monza as Hamilton hits trouble - MotorSportsTalk

Nico Rosberg has responded to Lewis Hamilton’s impressive time during the first practice session ahead of the Italian Grand Prix by finishing fastest in FP2 on Friday afternoon at Monza.

The German driver posted a fastest lap of 1:26.225 to finish just 0.061s ahead of his Mercedes teammate and championship rival, but Hamilton did well to get that close considering he was forced to miss most of the session after an electrical problem.

[ WATCH: Full replay of FP2 ]

The team was unable to fire Hamilton’s car up when the session went green, and only managed to resolve the issue with 30 minutes remaining. When he did venture out, Hamilton quickly got close to Rosberg’s time, only to be blocked by traffic on both of his hot laps.

This issue did rob the team of some precious laps though, with the Briton completing just a third of what his teammate could manage in the 90-minute session.

Just behind the Silver Arrows, Ferrari impressed once again to finish third and fourth on Friday afternoon. Kimi Raikkonen finished one-tenth of a second behind Rosberg at the top, and was two-tenths clear of Fernando Alonso in fourth place.

Williams began to show its true colors in FP2 after a quiet first session as Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa finished fifth and ninth respectively. Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen also impressed for McLaren to come home sixth and eighth, with Sebastian Vettel splitting the pair. His Red Bull teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, rounded out the top ten.

Once again, Mercedes is forging ahead at the front of the field, but a very close battle is developing just behind Hamilton and Rosberg.

Join us tomorrow for FP3 on Live Extra at 5am ET, followed by qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix on NBCSN at 8am ET.

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The IndyCar Series has re-signed NTT as its title sponsor in a multiyear agreement starting in 2024.

NTT, a global information technology and communications company based in Japan, became the series’ title sponsor before the 2019 season after starting as a sponsor of the No. 10 Dallara-Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.

NTT Data (a subsidiary of parent company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.) will remain the official technology partner of IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Brickyard weekend.

With the extension, an IndyCar spokesman said NTT would become the second-longest title sponsor in series history. The longest title sponsor was PPG from 1980-97 (under the CART sanction of the Champ Car Series).

NTT replaced Verizon, which was IndyCar’s title sponsor from 2014-18 after IZOD from 2010-13.

“NTT is an excellent partner across our enterprise with strong expertise and a deep commitment to our sport,” Penske Corp. chairman and IndyCar owner Roger Penske said in a release. “From Smart Venue technology at the Racing Capital of the World to the reimagined Series mobile application, NTT is transforming the fan experience in new and innovative ways. We look forward to a bright future together.”

NTT has used artificial intelligence-enabled optical detection technology at IMS to provide information to the track’s operations and security teams, helping improve fan traffic flow and safety, the track said.

“IndyCar is a great partner for NTT Data because of our shared commitment to driving innovation, increasing sustainability and delivering amazing experiences,” NTT Data CEO Kaz Nishihata said in a release. “We also appreciate how IndyCar is so diverse, with drivers from 15 different countries, and races that range from short ovals and superspeedways to road and street courses. It’s both an incredible sport and a wonderful example for our world.”

NTT also has been instrumental in helping redesign the IndyCar app and providing more race and driver data for use in NBC Sports’ broadcasts by utilizing 140 data points from every car in the field.

“NTT is fully invested in the development and growth of our sport and has already established a terrific track record in our industry with problem-solving capabilities and access to top talent and tools,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said.

Said NTT Data Services CEO Bob Pryor: “We’re thrilled to continue our collaborations that enhance and expand the fan experience for motorsports and serve as proof points for data analytics, AI, and other innovative digital technologies. For more than a century, this racing series has pioneered innovations making driving safer for everyone, and by continuing this relationship, we will accelerate the pace of innovations and new technologies, particularly related to sustainability that ultimately can benefit organizations, communities and individuals around the world.”

Starting as a Japanese telephone company, NTT grew into a $100 billion-plus tech services giant with U.S. operations based in Plano, Texas.