Hamilton sets the pace in first practice at Italian GP

Monza, Italy: Lewis Hamilton posted the fastest time in Friday's first practice session for the Italian Grand Prix, with championship leader Sebastian Vettel fourth quickest.

Hamilton, who won at Monza last year, set a time of 1 minute and 25.565 seconds, 0.035 seconds faster than Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso.

Nico Rosberg was 0.139 seconds slower than his Mercedes team-mate. Hamilton has qualified in pole position in the past four races, while his team has done so in eight of the past nine.

Vettel, the three-time defending F1 champion who leads Alonso by 46 points, was 0.188 seconds behind Hamilton. Vettel won at Monza in 2011.