George Russell claimed the fastest lap in the second practice session for the Italian Grand Prix, demonstrating Mercedes' ability to answer Ferrari’s early speed at Monza. The British driver posted a time of 1:22.559, edging out Charles Leclerc by 0.120 seconds and teammate Kimi Antonelli by 0.141 seconds, despite the scorching conditions that continued to grip northern Italy. The session took place against a backdrop of intrigue for the championship leaders.
Mercedes’ other driver, Kimi Antonelli, will be forced to start from the back of the grid on Sunday because of an engine‑change penalty, meaning Russell has a rare opportunity to chip away at Ferrari’s 59‑point lead if he can deliver a strong weekend performance. Ferrari had dominated the opening practice, finishing first and second after introducing an upgraded power unit, but Russell’s pace in the second session shifted the momentum. Lewis Hamilton, who had been second quickest in the earlier part of the day, fell to fifth after being overtaken by McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Norris, who has won the last two races, posted the fourth‑fastest time, 0.384 seconds off Russell’s benchmark, while his teammate Oscar Piastri was a further tenth of a second slower in sixth place. The McLaren duo expressed concerns that Monza’s long straights and tight chicanes could prove more demanding for their car compared with the outright speed they have enjoyed elsewhere.
The session was not without controversy. Hamilton was visibly upset after what he described as "dangerous" driving by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, who forced him off the track at the first chicane. The incident was referred to the stewards for a post‑session investigation. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who sat out the first practice to allow rookie Ayumu Iwasa to gain experience, returned for the second run but was dissatisfied with the balance of his RB22, managing only the ninth‑fastest time.
His stand‑in teammate Liam Lawson was placed twelfth. Arvid Lindblad, driving a Red Bull‑owned car, topped the Red Bull contingent in seventh place, while Haas youngster Oliver Bearman secured eighth in an upgraded VF‑26 chassis.
Russell’s performance, while not guaranteeing pole position, suggests he has set a positive tone for the weekend. He is aiming for his first Grand Prix pole and victory since his win in Austria five races ago. Sky Sports F1 analyst Martin Brundle praised the Briton, stating, "He looked good.
This is his big chance to close that deficit this weekend and show that he is very worthy of a world championship. What he desperately doesn’t want to have to do is fall into line a few races down the road and protect Kimi Antonelli if there’s an onslaught coming from McLaren or Ferrari at his championship lead. These are key races now for George Russell." Antonelli, aware that his weekend is already compromised by the penalty, focused his Friday program on long‑run performance rather than outright speed. He admitted the day felt "different" and "a bit weird" but emphasized the value of the data collected.
"Monza’s long straights offer overtaking opportunities and I learned a lot from following other cars," he said. "It was interesting in the long run today running behind other cars to see what they were doing differently, where they were deploying compared to us. So it was very interesting. We have gathered a lot of data and now we look forward to tomorrow." The schedule for the weekend is packed.
On Saturday, September 5, the day begins with the Formula 3 Sprint at 8:25 am, followed by the third practice session for the Italian Grand Prix at 11:15 am (session start at 11:30 am). The afternoon features the Formula 2 Sprint at 1:10 pm, the Grand Prix qualifying build‑up at 2:15 pm, and the qualifying session itself at 3:00 pm, with a post‑qualifying analysis at 5:00 pm on Sky Sports Main Event. Sunday, September 6, starts with the Formula 3 Feature Race at 7:10 am, the Formula 2 Feature Race at 8:40 am, and the Porsche Supercup Race at 10:40 am. The Grand Prix build‑up begins at 12:30 pm, leading into the Italian Grand Prix at 2:00 pm.
The race concludes with the chequered flag at 4:00 pm, followed by post‑race reaction and a final notebook at 5:00 pm. Fans can watch the entire weekend live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW without a long‑term contract. The Monza circuit, Ferrari’s home turf, promises an exciting showdown as the championship battle intensifies, and the performances in practice sessions suggest a tightly contested race ahead.