George Russell claimed the top spot 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 the fastest lap of the day, edging out Ferrari's Charles Leclerc by a narrow margin and showing that he can challenge the dominant Italian team despite the challenges facing his own squad. The weekend is already shaping up as a pivotal one for Russell. His teammate, Kimi Antonelli, will be forced to start from the back of the grid on Sunday because of a penalty for an engine change.
This circumstance gives Russell a rare opportunity to narrow the 59‑point gap to Ferrari’s lead in the championship, provided he can translate his strong practice performance into a competitive race weekend. Ferrari had set the tone in the opening practice, with both of its cars topping the timesheets after introducing an upgraded power unit. However, the second session, run under still‑sweltering conditions in northern Italy, saw the Mercedes driver take the initiative. Russell recorded a lap of 1:22.559, beating Leclerc—who suffered a late‑session spin—by 0.120 seconds and edging ahead of Antonelli by 0.141 seconds.
Lewis Hamilton, who had been the second‑quickest in the early part of the session, slipped to fifth place as McLaren’s Lando Norris moved up the order. Norris, who has won the last two races, found the Monza circuit’s long straights and tight chicanes more demanding for his car, finishing fourth, 0.384 seconds off Russell’s pace.
Oscar Piastri was another tenth of a second slower in sixth place. The world champion Hamilton expressed frustration after an incident with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll. Hamilton claimed Stroll’s maneuver at the first chicane was “dangerous,” forcing Hamilton off the track.
The incident was subsequently referred to the stewards for a post‑session review. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who sat out the first practice to allow rookie Ayumu Iwasa to gain experience, returned for the second session. Verstappen was dissatisfied with the balance of his RB22 and managed only the ninth‑fastest time. His stand‑in teammate Liam Lawson was a little further back in twelfth place.
Arvid Lindblad, driving a Red Bull‑owned Racing Bulls car, was the fastest among the Red Bull affiliates, landing in seventh, while Haas youngster Oliver Bearman took eighth in an upgraded VF‑26 chassis. Although Russell is unlikely to dominate the entire weekend based solely on his Friday performance, his quick lap indicates a promising start as he eyes his first Grand Prix pole and victory since his triumph in Austria five races earlier. Sky Sports F1 analyst Martin Brundle praised Russell, noting, “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 session felt “different” from a typical practice day, emphasizing the importance of gathering data over extended laps.
“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,” he said.
The Italian circuit’s characteristic long straights provide ample overtaking opportunities, a factor Antonelli highlighted as a learning experience. “It’s a track where you can do so many different things,” he noted, adding that running behind other cars on long runs helped him understand alternative deployment strategies and overall car behavior. The schedule for the weekend is packed with support series and qualifying sessions. On Saturday, September 5, the day begins with the Formula 3 Sprint at 8:25 am, followed by the third practice session for the Grand Prix at 11:15 am (session start at 11:30 am).
The Formula 2 Sprint follows at 1:10 pm, with the Grand Prix qualifying build‑up at 2:15 pm, leading into the official qualifying session at 3:00 pm. Later, at 5:00 pm, fans can tune in to “Ted’s Qualifying Notebook.” Sunday, September 6, features 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, with the race itself kicking off at 2:00 pm.
The chequered flag will fall at 4:00 pm, followed by post‑race analysis and “Ted’s Notebook” at 5:00 pm. The qualifying session will also be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event.
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the Italian Grand Prix—Ferrari’s home race—will be available live on Sky Sports F1. The race can also be streamed via the NOW platform, offering a contract‑free option with the ability to cancel at any time. This accessibility ensures that fans worldwide can follow the drama at Monza, where the battle between Mercedes and Ferrari, along with the performances of McLaren, Red Bull, and the emerging talent of Kimi Antonelli, promises to deliver an exciting weekend of Formula 1 action.