George Russell edged out Charles Leclerc to claim the fastest lap in the second practice session for the Italian Grand Prix, signalling Mercedes' answer to Ferrari's early speed at Monza. The British driver posted a lap of 1:22.559, beating the Ferrari driver by 0.120 seconds and outpacing his own teammate Kimi Antonelli by 0.141 seconds, despite the scorching heat that continued to dominate the northern Italian circuit.
The weekend carries added intrigue because championship‑leading teammate Kimi Antonelli will be forced to start from the back of the grid on Sunday after receiving a penalty for an engine change. This circumstance gives Russell a rare opportunity to chip away at Ferrari’s 59‑point lead if he can convert a strong practice performance into a solid race weekend. Ferrari had dominated the opening practice, posting the first and second quickest times after introducing an upgraded power unit.
Yet the second session saw a shift in momentum as Russell emerged as the driver to beat. His lap time placed him ahead of Leclerc, who suffered a late‑stage spin, and ahead of Antonelli, who was still learning the nuances of the high‑speed circuit.
Lewis Hamilton, who had been the second‑fastest in the early part of the session, fell back to fifth place after McLaren’s Lando Norris overtook him. Norris, who has won the previous two races, struggled with the long straights and tight chicanes that characterize Monza, ending the session 0.384 seconds off Russell’s best time.
Oscar Piastri completed the top six, finishing a further tenth of a second behind Norris. The world champion Hamilton expressed frustration over what he described as "dangerous" driving from Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, who forced Hamilton off the track at the first chicane.
The incident was referred to the stewards for a post‑session review. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who skipped the first practice to allow rookie Ayumu Iwasa to gain experience, returned for the second session but was dissatisfied with the balance of his RB22. He managed only the ninth‑fastest time, while his stand‑in teammate Liam Lawson placed twelfth.
Arvid Lindblad, driving the Red Bull‑owned Racing Bulls car, topped the Red Bull contingent in seventh place, and Haas youngster Oliver Bearman finished eighth in an upgraded VF‑26 chassis. Although Russell is unlikely to dominate the entire weekend based solely on Friday’s pace, his performance suggests a positive start to a campaign that could see him challenge for his first pole and victory since his triumph in Austria five races ago. Sky Sports F1 analyst Martin Brundle praised Russell, 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 likely back‑row start, focused his Friday program on long‑run performance rather than outright speed. He admitted the day felt "different" compared to a typical practice, noting, "A lot more focused on long runs so it was a bit weird – not going to lie – but overall, it was a good day. We gathered a lot of data and now looking forward to the next few days." The Italian circuit’s lengthy straights provide ample overtaking opportunities, and Antonelli said he learned a great deal by shadowing other cars during his runs.
"It's a track where you can do so many different things," he added. "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 with supporting series and key sessions. On Saturday, September 5, the F3 Sprint begins at 8:25 am, followed by the Italian Grand Prix Practice Three at 11:15 am (session start at 11:30 am). The F2 Sprint kicks off at 1:10 pm, with qualifying for the Grand Prix slated for 2:15 pm and the official qualifying session at 3:00 pm. The day concludes with Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 5:00 pm.
Sunday, September 6, starts with the F3 Feature Race at 7:10 am, then the F2 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 to the main event at 2:00 pm. The chequered flag falls at 4:00 pm, followed by post‑race reactions and Ted’s Notebook at 5:00 pm.
The qualifying session will also be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event. Formula 1 fans can tune in to watch Ferrari’s home race live on Sky Sports F1. The coverage is also available via the NOW streaming service, which offers a contract‑free option that can be cancelled at any time.