Formula One leader Oscar Piastri led Lando Norris in a McLaren one-two in first practice for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix that ended early on Friday after Gabriel Bortoleto crashed his Sauber.
Australian Piastri, winner of four of the last five races, lapped the Imola circuit with a fastest time of one minute 16.545 seconds on the softest tyre compound with Norris 0.032 slower on a sunny afternoon.
Piastri leads Norris by 16 points after six races, with the 24-round season now starting its European phase after an opening run in Asia, the Middle East and United States.
The session was red-flagged and did not restart after Brazilian rookie Bortoleto crashed into the tyre wall with some three minutes remaining. He stepped out unhurt.
Carlos Sainz was third on the timesheets for Williams, 0.052 off the pace, with Mercedes' George Russell a further 0.002 slower.
Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, limbering up for his first race in Italy as a Ferrari driver, was fifth and 0.096 off the pace.
Pierre Gasly was sixth for Alpine with Red Bull's four times world champion Max Verstappen seventh, Williams' Alex Albon eighth and Bortoleto ninth with teammate Nico Hulkenberg completing the top 10.
"I can't rely on the rear. It feels like I'm drifting everywhere," complained Verstappen, last year's winner at Imola, over the radio.
Mercedes' 18-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli, the only Italian on the starting grid and preparing for his home debut, was 13th fastest.
No thanks to FIA: Russell
George Russell saw no reason to thank Formula One's governing body after it halved the maximum penalties drivers face for swearing.
The Mercedes driver, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), said the high fines were "a little bit ludicrous in the first place.
Of course we're happy to see (the changes), but it (the fines) should never have been there," the Briton told reporters ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Italy's Imola circuit.
"So it feels a bit wrong to be thanking (the FIA) for the changes when we shouldn't have been in that place to begin with."
The governing FIA announced on Wednesday that it was reducing the maximum penalties for drivers swearing by 50% and giving stewards more discretion on deciding penalties.
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