George Russell Dominates Final Practice at Monza
George Russell laid down an emphatic marker at Monza, topping a chaotic final practice for the Italian Grand Prix ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in a session that crackled with tension, traffic and a few old grudges.
The Mercedes driver, already quickest in Friday’s second practice, sharpened his edge with a 1m 22.219s lap, tightening his grip on a weekend where the margins are already razor-thin. Hamilton slotted in two tenths back for Ferrari, Verstappen a further shade behind in the Red Bull.
Quiet start, noisy finish
For a circuit famed for its frenzy, FP3 began in almost eerie calm. When the lights went green at 12:30 local time, only the Audi pair of Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg ventured out, enjoying a rare moment of solitude around the Temple of Speed before the Alpines joined them.
Williams had early problems. Alex Albon reported an issue with his steering wheel and his car was wheeled back into the garage, a worrying sight given his looming engine penalty. The fix came quickly enough; once the track filled, the Thai driver rejoined and plunged straight into the traffic storm.
Pierre Gasly set the early pace in the opening 15 minutes, with many of the expected frontrunners still biding their time. Then Ferrari lit up the pit lane. Charles Leclerc and Hamilton rolled out on soft tyres to a roar from the Tifosi, red cars back on home soil and back in the spotlight.
Antonelli’s surge, early mistakes
Kimi Antonelli soon changed the tone of the session. The Mercedes youngster fired in a 1m 23.032s to go top, a sharp lap on a weekend where he already knows he will start from the back after a grid penalty for an engine change. It was a reminder that even from the rear, he intends to be a factor.
The first real drama came at the opening chicane. Liam Lawson spun his Red Bull into the first chicane and complained of struggling with “the rear in low speed”, triggering brief yellow flags. Albon, meanwhile, picked up a warning for failing to follow the Race Director’s instructions on the escape road.
At halfway, Antonelli still sat on top, two tenths clear of Leclerc with Gasly third. Not everyone was as composed. Oscar Piastri locked up into Turn 1 and had to take to the escape road, his radio crackling with a sarcastic “great” as his run unravelled.
Russell stamps authority, traffic bites
Then Russell arrived. The Briton punched in a 1m 22.697s, three tenths quicker than his Mercedes team mate, and briefly looked in a class of his own. His rhythm, though, ran straight into Monza reality: traffic. He came across a pack of cars and could only tell the team there was nothing he could do, another fast lap shredded by congestion.
The final 15 minutes turned the session into a qualifying dress rehearsal. Fresh soft tyres went on for Antonelli, Russell, Verstappen and the rest, and the timing screens lit up with purple and green sectors.
Williams tried something different. With both Albon and Carlos Sainz carrying engine penalties and destined to start from the back, the team practised the tow. Albon dragged Sainz down the straights, a coordinated move they hope will pay off in qualifying. The experiment came with a sting: both drivers will be investigated after the session for a potential yellow flag infringement.
Up front, Verstappen’s patience snapped. He complained that a Ferrari was “always in the way” as he tried to piece together a clean lap in the traffic. Russell, too, was noted by the stewards for possibly impeding Piastri, though that was quickly cleared with no further action.
Old rivalry reignites
The flashpoint of the hour belonged to two familiar names. Hamilton and Verstappen found each other on track and the temperature rose instantly. Hamilton overtook and the pair ran side by side down the main straight, locked together into Turn 2 in a move that carried all the weight of their shared history.
Both voiced their displeasure on the radio. The stewards noted the incident but chose not to investigate, leaving the moment to hang in the air as a tantalising preview of what qualifying – and perhaps Sunday – might bring.
Russell on top, pack tight behind
When the dust settled, nobody could touch Russell’s 1m 22.219s. Hamilton’s best left him two tenths adrift in second, Verstappen third. Antonelli’s impressive effort held for fourth, underlining his pace despite that looming back-row start.
Lando Norris put McLaren fifth, with Leclerc sixth for Ferrari. Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad delivered a strong showing in seventh, followed by Piastri, Gasly and Franco Colapinto in the second Alpine to round out the top 10.
Hulkenberg took 11th ahead of Lawson, Bortoleto and Haas rookie Ollie Bearman. Yuki Tsunoda in the Racing Bulls, Sainz, the other Haas of Esteban Ocon and Albon followed.
The back of the order made for an unusual sight. The Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll languished in 19th and 22nd, split by the Cadillacs of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.
Final practice at Monza ended with Russell on top, Mercedes looking sharp, Ferrari lurking and Red Bull bristling. Qualifying at 16:00 local time now promises something Monza rarely fails to deliver: speed, chaos, and a fight that could reshape the grid in a single, breathless hour.
