George Russell Tops FP2 at Monza Ahead of Ferrari's Leclerc
George Russell edged out Ferrari favourite Charles Leclerc to top second practice at Monza, as Formula 1’s Italian Grand Prix weekend finally snapped into focus.
The Mercedes driver punched in a 1m22.559s midway through FP2, winning a sharp, three-way shootout with Leclerc and team-mate Kimi Antonelli that briefly turned a routine Friday into a qualifying-style duel.
Soft tyres, sharp intent
For the opening 20 minutes, the session drifted along on hard tyres, Russell already quietly leading the way but with lap times that felt like a prelude rather than the main act. Then the softs appeared, and Monza woke up.
On the red-marked Pirellis, Antonelli lit up the timing screens first, going purple in the opening sector. His lap died at the Parabolica, though, as traffic blocked him through the famous final corner and forced him back to the pits.
Freed from traffic on his next attempt, the Italian rookie showed why Mercedes rates him so highly. He stopped the clock at 1m22.700s to go fastest, a marker laid down in front of his home crowd.
Russell immediately replied. A 1m22.686s nudged Antonelli aside, only for Leclerc – who had topped FP1 – to snatch it back with a 1m22.679s. The tifosi had barely finished cheering when Russell went again, this time with a cleaner, more composed lap that produced the session’s defining 1m22.559s.
No one could touch it.
From that point, the field largely abandoned glory runs and sank into long-run work, leaving Russell ahead of Leclerc and Antonelli in the final FP2 order.
Norris lurking, Ferrari stacked
Behind the leading trio, Lando Norris quietly positioned himself as a threat. The reigning world champion and winner of the last two grands prix finished fourth, just four tenths off Russell’s benchmark, underlining McLaren’s presence even without a headline lap.
Lewis Hamilton slotted into fifth in the second Ferrari, a fraction ahead of Oscar Piastri in the other McLaren, keeping both scarlet cars in the top five on a circuit where expectations are always sky-high.
Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad delivered one of the standout performances of the afternoon. The youngster briefly climbed as high as third early in the session and ultimately claimed seventh, a result that will not have gone unnoticed in the paddock.
For Haas, there was at least a glimmer of encouragement. Oliver Bearman, armed with the new Ferrari engine spec, hauled the struggling team into eighth place, offering a rare positive note in a difficult season.
Verstappen’s uneasy return
This was Max Verstappen’s first taste of the weekend after Red Bull handed his car to reserve driver Ayumu Iwasa in FP1 for a mandatory rookie outing. The Dutchman’s return was anything but serene.
As so often on Fridays, Red Bull chased balance rather than lap time. Verstappen wrestled with an unsettled RB22, asking for changes and receiving a front wing flap adjustment that did little to calm the car.
He ended the session only ninth, the leading Red Bull but far from the sharp end, with work to do before qualifying.
Yuki Tsunoda completed the top 10 for Racing Bulls. The Japanese driver is enjoying a second consecutive weekend back with his former team while Liam Lawson steps into the senior Red Bull seat in place of the injured Isack Hadjar. Lawson finished 12th, just behind Alpine’s Franco Colapinto.
Stroll in the spotlight, Audi worry
On-track drama was limited but pointed.
Leclerc had a scare at the second chicane, spinning after the rear of his Ferrari snapped over the aggressive sausage kerbs. He escaped without damage, but it was a reminder of how punishing Monza’s chicanes can be when drivers lean too hard on them.
Lance Stroll faces a sterner follow-up. Leaving the pitlane in his Aston Martin, the Canadian drifted into the path of a fast-approaching Norris, forcing the McLaren driver into evasive action. The stewards will review the incident, and the onboard replays are unlikely to flatter Stroll.
At Audi, concern grew over the sound of the V6 in Gabriel Bortoleto’s car. An unhealthy note from the power unit prompted the team to halt his run early, sacrificing valuable data on a circuit where engine performance remains king.
By the end of FP2, Russell’s time still sat alone at the top of the timing screens. On a Friday that started quietly and then flared into a brief but telling duel, Mercedes left Monza with the early edge – and Ferrari with the familiar question of whether they can turn promise into something more in front of their own fans.
