Charles Leclerc led a Ferrari one-two in FP1 before George Russell put Mercedes on top in FP2, leaving Friday at Monza finely balanced ahead of qualifying.
Italian GP Friday practice produced two different session leaders and no clear runaway favourite. Leclerc gave Ferrari the perfect start in front of the Tifosi by topping FP1, but Russell responded with the fastest lap of Friday in FP2 as Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren all showed enough pace to remain part of the qualifying conversation. It also immediately tested several of the themes we highlighted in our six things to watch at Monza before the weekend.
The gaps were tight at the front. Russell’s 1m 22.559s benchmark in FP2 was only 0.120s faster than Leclerc, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli sat just 0.141s off his Mercedes team-mate in third. Lando Norris was fourth for McLaren and Lewis Hamilton fifth for Ferrari, with Oscar Piastri sixth.
Ferrari opens Friday with a home-crowd statement
FP1 belonged to Ferrari. Leclerc set a 1m 23.008s lap to lead Hamilton by 0.173s, with Russell 0.304s away in third. Liam Lawson was fourth for Red Bull and Antonelli fifth.
The most interesting detail was that Leclerc’s fastest lap came on the medium tyre while several rivals had moved onto the soft compound. It was not a direct qualifying comparison because teams were running different fuel loads and programmes, but it was still an encouraging opening signal for a Ferrari team that arrived at Monza with its second power-unit upgrade of the season.
The session was interrupted when Colton Herta stopped his Cadillac with a suspected hydraulic issue, triggering a Virtual Safety Car and then a red flag while the car was recovered. Four rookie drivers took part in FP1, with Ayumu Iwasa replacing Max Verstappen at Red Bull, Luke Browning driving Alex Albon’s Williams, Paul Aron taking Pierre Gasly’s Alpine and Herta standing in for Sergio Perez at Cadillac.
Russell answers as Mercedes tops FP2
FP2 provided a more representative qualifying-style picture once all 22 regular drivers returned to their cars. Russell eventually lowered the benchmark to 1m 22.559s, beating Leclerc by 0.120s and Antonelli by 0.141s.
| Position | Driver | Team | Time / Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:22.559 |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.120s |
| 3 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.141s |
| 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.384s |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.457s |
Antonelli briefly became the first driver below the 1m 23s barrier before Russell and Leclerc traded improvements. Russell ultimately found the decisive margin, while Leclerc’s session ended with a late spin at the second chicane. The Ferrari driver avoided contact and rejoined without damage.
Leclerc may have had the strongest Friday overall
Russell owns the fastest lap of the day, but Leclerc was the only driver to finish inside the top two in both sessions. That consistency is arguably the clearest positive Ferrari can take from Friday.
The SF-26 looked competitive in both tyre phases, and Leclerc’s FP1 pace on the medium compound was particularly notable. Hamilton’s second place in FP1 and fifth in FP2 also kept the second Ferrari in the leading group, although Mercedes appeared to gain ground as the day developed.
That does not make Ferrari the automatic qualifying favourite. Monza’s slipstream effect, track evolution and differing fuel loads can distort Friday comparisons, and several drivers were deliberately positioning themselves to pick up a tow during FP2. Still, after Ferrari’s pre-weekend target of fighting at the front, the first two sessions suggest the home team has at least put itself in the conversation.
Antonelli is quick despite his Sunday complication
Antonelli’s third place in FP2 was another important part of Mercedes’ Friday. The Italian finished just 0.021s behind Leclerc and only 0.141s from Russell despite reporting understeer during the session.
His speed comes with a major complication: Antonelli is due to start the Grand Prix from the back of the grid after taking an engine change. That means his qualifying pace will not translate into a conventional starting position, but his Friday performance still matters for Mercedes’ set-up direction and for how much progress he may be able to make through the field on Sunday. Tech Torque Media covered the Antonelli grid penalty ahead of the weekend.
McLaren remains in range while Red Bull searches for balance
McLaren did not top either session, but Norris in fourth and Piastri in sixth in FP2 kept the team close enough to remain relevant heading into Saturday. Norris also had a near-miss with Lance Stroll at the first chicane while cars were searching for tow opportunities, highlighting how congested Monza qualifying preparation can become.
Red Bull had a less convincing afternoon. Verstappen, back in the car after Iwasa drove FP1, complained about a lack of downforce and had his front wing changed before finishing ninth. Lawson, who had been an impressive fourth in FP1, ended FP2 in 12th.
Lawson is again racing for Red Bull because Isack Hadjar remains unavailable, with Yuki Tsunoda continuing in the Racing Bulls seat. Our Monza driver-line-up report explains the situation.
Other Friday talking points
- Gabriel Bortoleto’s Audi stopped early in FP2 with an engine issue.
- Franco Colapinto had a high-speed off at the exit of the Ascari chicane but still finished 11th.
- Leclerc recovered from his late FP2 spin without hitting the barriers.
- The search for a slipstream created several traffic moments, with track position likely to become an important part of Saturday qualifying.
- Hot conditions remained a factor throughout the day after the FIA had already declared a heat hazard for the Italian Grand Prix weekend.
What Friday tells us before qualifying
The clearest conclusion is that the fight at the front remains open. Russell, Leclerc and Antonelli were separated by only 0.141s in FP2, while Norris was still within four tenths of the benchmark. Ferrari showed strong pace across both sessions, Mercedes ended the day fastest and McLaren remained close enough to punish any mistake.
Red Bull has more obvious work to do overnight, although Monza’s low-downforce layout and the importance of the tow make it dangerous to read too much into a single Friday classification. FP3 should reveal whether Verstappen can close the gap and whether Ferrari can carry its Friday consistency into the qualifying hour.
Tech Torque Verdict
Friday sharpened the Italian Grand Prix picture without settling it. Russell has the outright benchmark, but Leclerc’s first and second places across the two sessions make Ferrari look genuinely competitive at home. Antonelli’s pace strengthens Mercedes’ hand even with his grid penalty, while McLaren remains close enough to join the fight if it finds another step overnight.
The biggest question for Saturday is whether Ferrari can convert Friday’s consistency into pole-position pace once everyone runs the same qualifying programme. At Monza, where tow management can matter almost as much as raw speed, the answer may not be straightforward.
