Ferrari tops Monza first practice as Leclerc posts fastest lap

Charles Leclerc recorded the fastest lap of the opening practice session for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, completing a lap in 1:23.008. His teammate followed in second place, 0.173 seconds slower, while Mercedes driver George Russell was third, using the soft tyre compound.

Ferrari ran the hard tyre on both cars at the start of the session before switching to the medium compound, opting not to use the soft tyre at all. The strategy placed Ferrari in the top two positions, highlighting the performance of the team's ADUO 2 upgraded engine at its home circuit.

Kimi Antonelli, who will start from the back of the grid after receiving a new Mercedes engine, posted the fifth-fastest time, just under two tenths of a second behind Red Bull’s Liam Lawson, who is substituting for the injured Isack Hadjar. McLaren’s Lando Norris, also on medium tyres, completed the top six.

Among the rookie drivers, Paul Aron was the quickest, while Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad, Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Alpine drivers Franco Colapinto and Aron followed. Oscar Piastri, driving the second McLaren, was 11th despite using the soft tyre, and the team tested a new upside-down H-wing during the session.

Yuki Tsunoda of Racing Bulls was blocked by an Alpine car approaching Parabolica and finished 11th, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg’s Audi and Haas driver Ollie Bearman, the only customer team using the new Ferrari engine. Rookie Luke Browning was just under a tenth of a second quicker than Williams regular Carlos Sainz, although Sainz did not run the soft tyre.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen’s junior driver Ayumu Iwasa placed 17th, half a second ahead of Fernando Alonso in an underpowered Aston Martin, which also avoided the soft tyre. A Cadillac entered by Colton Herta suffered a suspected hydraulic failure before completing a representative lap.