Ferrari gave the tifosi exactly what they came for. Charles Leclerc topped opening practice at the Italian Grand Prix with a 1:23.008, edging teammate Lewis Hamilton by 0.173 seconds for a Ferrari one-two on home soil. George Russell flipped the script in FP2, though, going quickest with a 1:22.559 to deny Ferrari the day's fastest overall time.
Both sessions ran under genuinely extreme conditions — 30°C ambient, 49°C on track — with the FIA's heat hazard declaration from earlier this week now in full effect, forcing drivers to choose between a cooling vest or extra ballast.
Antonelli's Gamble Starts Playing Out
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli sat fifth in FP1 and third in FP2, roughly six tenths off the pace — a modest showing, but exactly the plan. Mercedes confirmed earlier this week it would take a fresh power unit for Antonelli specifically at Monza, betting that a track with heavy overtaking opportunity is the least costly place on the calendar to absorb a grid penalty. He'll start Sunday's race from the back regardless of how qualifying goes.
Lawson Impresses Again, Deputising For Hadjar
Liam Lawson continued his strong stand-in form for Red Bull, running fourth in both FP1 and FP2 while covering for the injured Isack Hadjar. It's the second consecutive race weekend Lawson has stepped up from Racing Bulls into the senior team's seat, with Yuki Tsunoda occupying the vacated Racing Bulls car in his place — the same reshuffle that played out at Zandvoort last time out.
A Packed Rookie Session
Friday's opening practice doubled as a mandatory rookie outing for several teams. Ayumu Iwasa took over Max Verstappen's Red Bull, Luke Browning drove Alex Albon's Williams, Paul Aron filled in for Pierre Gasly at Alpine, and Colton Herta deputised for Sergio Perez at Cadillac. Aron had the strongest showing among the four, finishing FP1 in 10th — ahead of both McLarens at one point in the session.
Herta's outing ended early and unhappily. His Cadillac suffered a suspected hydraulics failure roughly 20 minutes into the session, triggering a red flag while marshals worked to clear the stranded car. He finished the session 22nd after limited running.
McLaren's Title Charge Continues, Quietly
Reigning champion Lando Norris, fresh off back-to-back wins in Hungary and the Netherlands, ran sixth in FP1 before improving to fourth in FP2, with teammate Oscar Piastri not far behind. Nothing dramatic from the McLaren camp on Friday — which, given their recent momentum, may be exactly the point. Teams running unrepresentative fuel loads and engine modes on a Friday rarely tell the full story ahead of Saturday qualifying.
A Quiet Return for Isack Hadjar
One piece of housekeeping resolved itself away from the timesheets: the FIA's International Court of Appeal reinstated Pierre Gasly's two five-second penalties from the Monaco Grand Prix, a ruling that strips Gasly of his podium finish from that race and restores it to Hadjar — a small but genuine consolation for a driver currently sidelined with a wrist injury.
What Friday's Times Actually Tell Us
Different fuel loads and tyre compounds across FP1 and FP2 mean Friday's order is rarely a reliable predictor of Saturday's qualifying, let alone Sunday's race. But the early signs are encouraging for Ferrari on a circuit that's traditionally suited its power unit, while Mercedes' FP2 pace — even with Antonelli running a compromised programme — suggests the championship fight remains genuinely open heading into a weekend already shaped by heat, penalties, and a driver lineup missing two of its regular faces.
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