Charles Leclerc set the pace in the first practice session for the Italian Grand Prix, delivering a one‑two finish for Ferrari with his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, right behind him. The Monaco‑born driver posted a lap time of 1:23.008, a full 0.173 seconds quicker than Hamilton, while Mercedes’ George Russell completed the top three, trailing by another tenth of a second. The session also highlighted the emerging story of World Championship contender Kimi Antonelli, who, despite having exhausted his allocated engine parts for the season and therefore being forced to start from the back of the grid on Sunday, managed to secure fifth place for Mercedes.
Lando Norris, the two‑time race winner who has been trying to revive his title defence, finished just behind Antonelli in sixth. In the championship hierarchy, Antonelli currently sits 59 points clear of both Russell and Hamilton, with Norris positioned 83 points behind the Italian star in fourth place.
Ferrari chose to introduce the second of the two engine upgrades they are permitted to use this season at their home event in Monza. The move comes after the FIA’s technical inspections revealed that the Scuderia’s power unit lagged behind the units supplied by Red Bull and Mercedes. In addition to the power‑unit enhancement, Ferrari brought a set of chassis modifications specifically designed for the high‑speed demands of the Monza circuit, aiming to extract maximum aerodynamic efficiency on the long straights and fast corners.
What makes the performance even more striking is that both Leclerc’s and Hamilton’s fastest laps were set on the medium‑compound tyre, whereas Russell’s best effort came on the theoretically faster soft tyre. This suggests that the new Ferrari package is delivering strong overall balance, not just a tyre‑dependent advantage. Nevertheless, Antonelli’s qualifying position will not affect his race start, as he is already slated to begin from the rear regardless of his lap time. This circumstance leaves open the possibility that Mercedes may possess more outright speed than the practice figures alone reveal.
Red Bull’s Liam Lawson delivered a promising fourth‑place finish, stepping in for Isack Hadjar, who missed the weekend after sustaining a wrist injury during the summer break. The Red Bull entry also featured a number of rookie drivers, as Max Verstappen and three other regulars sat out to give the newcomers a chance.
Ayumu Iwasa, driving Verstappen’s car, recorded a 17th‑place finish, while Paul Aron emerged as the top rookie, securing tenth place for Alpine. Cadillac’s representative, Colton Herta, was forced to retire early due to a technical glitch, and British driver Luke Browning placed 15th for Williams. The weekend schedule is packed with supporting 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, with the F1 Show airing at 4:15 pm and the Team Bosses’ press conference at 5:20 pm. Saturday, September 5, features the F3 sprint at 8:25 am, the third practice session for the Grand Prix at 11:15 am, the F2 sprint at 1:10 pm, and the build‑up to qualifying at 2:15 pm, leading into the official qualifying session at 3:00 pm, which will also be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event. The day concludes with Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 5:00 pm.
Sunday, September 6, is the main event day. The schedule starts with the F3 feature race at 7:10 am, followed by 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, with the Italian Grand Prix itself kicking off at 2:00 pm.
The chequered flag will fall at 4:00 pm, after which the post‑race reaction and analysis will be aired at 5:00 pm, including Ted’s Notebook. Fans can watch the entire weekend live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through NOW – a flexible service that requires no long‑term contract and can be cancelled at any time. This season’s Monza round not only showcases Ferrari’s home‑track advantage and technical upgrades but also provides a platform for emerging talent and a glimpse into the strategic battles that will shape the remainder of the Formula 1 campaign.