RismadarVoice Reporters
September 4, 2026
Ferrari made a strong start to their home Italian Grand Prix weekend as Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets in the opening practice session at Monza, with teammate Lewis Hamilton completing a one-two finish for the Italian outfit.
Leclerc set the fastest lap of the session with a time of 1:23.008, finishing 0.173 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who placed second after showing competitive pace throughout the session.
Mercedes driver George Russell was third fastest, 0.304 seconds behind Leclerc, while Red Bull’s Liam Lawson secured fourth place. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli completed the top five in his Mercedes after running with a new engine for the weekend.
McLaren’s Lando Norris, who enters the weekend after two consecutive Grand Prix victories, finished sixth fastest, ahead of Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad in seventh. Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Paul Aron completed the top 10.
The session was briefly interrupted by a red flag after Cadillac rookie Colton Herta was forced to stop on track due to a mechanical issue during his first practice outing.
Hamilton also had a moment during the session when he went off into the gravel at the second chicane but remained on course for a strong showing as Ferrari impressed in front of their home supporters.
The Italian Grand Prix second practice session is scheduled to take place later on Friday as teams continue preparations for qualifying and Sunday’s race.
Meanwhile, the session also saw confirmation of the Monaco Grand Prix appeal ruling, with Pierre Gasly losing his podium finish after McLaren and Red Bull successfully challenged the original result.
