George Russell posted 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 edged out Charles Leclerc with a time of 1:22.559, beating the Ferrari by 0.120 seconds and outpacing his teammate Kimi Antonelli by 0.141 seconds.
This performance comes as Mercedes looks to close the 59‑point gap to Ferrari in the championship, especially after teammate Antonelli will have to start from the back of the grid on Sunday due to an engine‑change penalty. Ferrari had dominated the first practice, posting the top two times after introducing an upgraded power unit.
However, the scorching heat that persisted across northern Italy on Saturday afternoon seemed to favour the Mercedes package, allowing Russell to claim the top spot in the second session. Leclerc suffered a late‑race spin, which cost him valuable time, while Antonelli, despite his penalty‑induced grid drop, managed a respectable run that kept him within striking distance of the leader.
Lewis Hamilton, who had been the quickest early in the session, slipped to fifth place after being overtaken by McLaren’s Lando Norris. Norris, who has won the previous two races, found the Monza layout – with its long straights and tight chicanes – a mixed bag for the McLaren, but still managed a solid fourth‑fastest time, just 0.384 seconds off Russell’s benchmark. Oscar Piastri followed in sixth, another tenth of a second behind Norris, indicating that the midfield teams were also extracting decent performance from their cars. The session was not without controversy.
Hamilton expressed frustration after Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll forced him off the track at the first chicane, an incident the stewards later investigated for potential danger. Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who sat out the opening practice to allow rookie Ayumu Iwasa to gain experience, returned for the second session but was visibly dissatisfied with the balance of his RB22, ultimately recording the ninth‑fastest time. His temporary teammate, Liam Lawson, finished in twelfth place. Arvid Lindblad, driving for the Red Bull‑owned Racing Bulls team, topped the Red Bull contingent in seventh place, while Haas youngster Oliver Bearman secured eighth in an upgraded VF‑26 chassis.
Despite not leading the pack, these drivers contributed to a competitive midfield that kept the pressure on the front‑runners. Russell’s strong showing in practice signals a promising weekend ahead.
He is eyeing his first pole position and potential victory since his surprise win at the Austrian Grand Prix five races earlier. 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, on the other hand, knows his weekend is already compromised by the engine‑change penalty that will likely see him start from the back row of the 22‑car grid. Consequently, his Friday program focused more on long‑run performance rather than outright speed.
"Today was a bit of a different day compared to usual," Antonelli explained. "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 look forward to the next few days." The young Italian highlighted the unique challenges of Monza’s long straights, which provide ample overtaking opportunities but also demand precise car setup. "It’s a track where you can do so many different things," he added.
"Running behind other cars in the long run was interesting; we could 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 weekend schedule is packed with support series and qualifying sessions. On Saturday, September 5, the day begins with the F3 Sprint at 8:25 am, followed by the third practice for the Grand Prix at 11:15 am (session starting at 11:30 am).
The F2 Sprint follows at 1:10 pm, and the qualifying build‑up starts at 2:15 pm, leading into the official Italian Grand Prix qualifying at 3:00 pm, with a post‑qualifying analysis at 5:00 pm. Sunday, September 6, features the F3 Feature Race at 7:10 am, the F2 Feature Race at 8:40 am, and the Porsche Supercup Race at 10:40 am. The main Grand Prix action kicks off at 2:00 pm, with the chequered flag and post‑race reaction slated for 4:00 pm, followed by a final commentary segment at 5:00 pm. Fans can watch the entire weekend live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW – a contract‑free service that can be cancelled at any time.
The Italian Grand Prix remains Ferrari’s home race, and the atmosphere at Monza promises to be electric as teams battle for crucial points in the closing stages of the season.