The Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) was the fastest in the first free practice session of the Italian Grand Prix, the thirteenth round of the World Championship at the Autodromo Nacional de Monza, ahead of his teammate, the Englishman Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) and the also British George Russell (Mercedes), while Carlos Sainz (Williams) was sixteenth and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), eighteenth.
The Monegasque, winner of the GP at the ‘Temple of Speed’ in 2024, set the best time of the first hour of testing in Monza with a 1:23.008 done with medium tires, the same ones mounted by a Hamilton who was just over a tenth behind his teammate (1:23.181). The ‘top 3’ was closed by Russell, three tenths (1:23.312) behind Leclerc, with soft tires.
However, it was a session that did not allow us to leave too many conclusions, since the teams did not show all their cards, in a circuit in which electrical management and, in qualifying, the slipstreams on the long straights characteristic of Monza will be key.
After the first minutes of filming, it was George Russell who was at the top of the table, going under 1:24 and taking three tenths off Lando Norris’s McLaren and half a second on Lewis Hamilton and his Ferrari with hard tires. This first third of the session was marked by a ‘Safety Car’ and subsequent red flag caused by Colton Herta (Cadillac), who was stopped due to a breakdown.
At the restart, Leclerc set the best time with medium tires and a time of 1:23.0, ahead of his teammate Hamilton, also with the yellow tires, and Russell, who did ride the soft one. These three positions did not move any further in the session, since in the end they were dedicated to riding in race records. Behind, Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) and Franco Colapinto (Alpine) fought to lead the middle zone in these Free Practice 1.
Behind the ‘top 3’, Liam Lawson (Red Bull) was fourth, surpassing the world leader and local driver, Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), who will start last on Sunday after changing his power unit, so important in a circuit like Monza. Additionally, Norris was sixth; Lindblad, seventh; Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi), eighth; Colapinto, ninth; and Paul Aron (Alpine), tenth.
For the Spanish, it was clear that Monza will be a nightmare and they must activate survival mode. Sainz set about obtaining data for the team and finished the session sixteenth, slightly behind Luke Browning, who replaced Alex Albon. And Fernando Alonso, on a very hot day, finished eighteenth.