In the opening practice session for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Charles Leclerc emerged as the fastest driver, securing a one‑two finish for Ferrari with his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, slotting in second place. The session highlighted the impact of Ferrari's newly introduced engine upgrade, which the team chose to debut on their home turf after the FIA’s performance assessments indicated their power unit lagged behind the offerings from Red Bull and Mercedes.
Leclerc posted a best lap of 1:23.008, a solid 0.173 seconds ahead of Hamilton, while Mercedes' George Russell completed the top three with a lap that was roughly a tenth of a second slower than the British driver. The Italian’s performance was especially notable because both his and Hamilton's quickest times were set on the medium‑compound tyres, whereas Russell achieved his best lap on the theoretically quicker soft tyre, underscoring Ferrari's strong package on the high‑speed circuit. World championship contender Kimi Antonelli, who will have to start from the back of the grid on Sunday due to exceeding his allocated engine parts for the season, qualified fifth for Mercedes. Lando Norris of McLaren, fresh off two consecutive race victories that have revived his title aspirations, finished a position lower in sixth place.
The current points table shows Antonelli leading both Russell and Hamilton by 59 points, with Norris trailing the Italian by 83 points and sitting fourth overall. Ferrari’s decision to roll out the second of the two engine upgrades they are permitted to use this season was strategic. The governing body had previously measured the team’s power unit and found it under‑performing relative to the Red Bull and Mercedes units. In addition to the power‑unit enhancement, the Scuderia brought a suite of chassis modifications tailored specifically for Monza’s long‑straights and fast corners.
These aerodynamic tweaks were designed to reduce drag while preserving enough down‑force to keep the car stable at the circuit’s top speeds. The effectiveness of the upgrades was evident not only in the lap times but also in the way the drivers exploited the medium tyre compound to extract maximum performance. While the soft tyre is generally regarded as the fastest option over a single lap, Ferrari’s engineers appear to have found a sweet spot with the medium compound, allowing both Leclerc and Hamilton to set their best times without the tyre degradation that often hampers a soft‑compound run at Monza. It is worth noting that Antonelli’s qualifying position may not fully reflect Mercedes’ true pace.
Knowing that he will start from the back regardless of his qualifying result, Antonelli could have been more relaxed, focusing on long‑run consistency rather than outright speed. Consequently, the team might possess latent speed that was not fully displayed during the session. Further down the order, Red Bull’s Liam Lawson delivered an encouraging fourth‑place finish for the team, despite the fact that the lineup did not feature either of Red Bull’s official 2026 drivers. Lawson was standing in for Isack Hadjar, who missed the race weekend after sustaining a wrist injury during the summer break.
Max Verstappen also participated in the session, allowing four drivers to make way for emerging talents. Ayumu Iwasa, piloting Verstappen’s Red Bull, ended the session in 17th place, while Alpine’s Paul Aron emerged as the top rookie, securing a respectable 10th‑place finish. Cadillac’s Colton Herta saw his opportunity to drive for the team cut short due to a technical fault, and British rookie Luke Browning placed 15th for Williams.
These results illustrate the depth of the field and the variety of challenges teams face at Monza, where engine reliability, tyre strategy, and aerodynamic efficiency are all critical. The weekend’s schedule is packed with support series and events.
On Friday, September 4, the day begins with the Formula 3 qualifying session at 12:55 pm, followed by the Formula 2 qualifying at 1:50 pm. The second practice for the Italian Grand Prix starts at 2:35 pm, leading into the F1 Show at 4:15 pm and the Team Bosses’ press conference at 5:20 pm. Saturday, September 5, sees the Formula 3 sprint race at 8:25 am, the third practice session for the Grand Prix at 11:15 am (which officially starts at 11:30 am), the Formula 2 sprint at 1:10 pm, and the build‑up to qualifying at 2:15 pm. The main qualifying session for the Italian Grand Prix kicks off at 3:00 pm, with the results influencing the grid for Sunday’s race.
The day concludes with Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 5:00 pm, providing analysis and insights. On Sunday, September 6, the schedule includes 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, followed by the Italian Grand Prix itself at 2:00 pm.
After the race, the Chequered Flag segment at 4:00 pm offers reactions and highlights, and Ted’s Notebook returns at 5:00 pm for a post‑race wrap‑up. The qualifying session is also broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event. Fans can watch the action live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW – a flexible service that requires no long‑term contract and can be cancelled at any time. This accessibility ensures that viewers worldwide can follow Ferrari’s home race, the Italian Grand Prix, and see whether the upgrades will translate into a podium finish on race day.