Jonas Leo
Monza, Italy – George Russell asserted Mercedes’ strength at the legendary Autodromo Nazionale Monza, leading the third and final practice session for the Italian Grand Prix. The British driver delivered a commanding performance, outpacing his future rival and former teammate Lewis Hamilton, now driving for Ferrari, in a session that offered a tantalizing glimpse into the competitive landscape of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Russell’s best lap of 1m22.219s underscored Mercedes’ strategic prowess and raw speed on the "Temple of Speed," setting a formidable benchmark for the impending qualifying session.
Hamilton, piloting a special 1996-inspired Ferrari livery paying tribute to Michael Schumacher’s debut campaign with the Scuderia, secured second place, just 0.226 seconds adrift of Russell. The seven-time world champion’s performance, particularly on a circuit known for its exacting demands, signaled a promising competitive debut for the scarlet car in front of its fervent home crowd. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, the current second in the drivers’ standings, claimed third position, while Mercedes’ championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, rounded out the top four, despite facing a significant engine penalty that will see him start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid.
The one-hour practice session, held under warm and sunny Italian skies, commenced with a relatively subdued pace, allowing teams to gather initial data on various tyre compounds. The opening quarter saw the Alpine duo of Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly briefly head the leaderboard on medium tyres, demonstrating the French outfit’s potential to challenge in the midfield. Colapinto, in particular, displayed encouraging pace, leading his more experienced teammate by a tenth of a second in the early stages.
As the session progressed, the intensity escalated. Home hero Kimi Antonelli, driving for Mercedes, was among the first to switch to the soft compound tyres, immediately making his mark with a rapid 1m23.032s. The Italian, who has enjoyed a stellar season leading the drivers’ championship, appeared set to improve further on his subsequent flying lap, only to exceed track limits at the iconic Parabolica corner, now officially known as Curva Alboreto, forcing him to abort the run. His assertive driving, despite the minor error, confirmed his intent to maximize track time ahead of his grid penalty.
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Red Bull, meanwhile, continued to grapple with persistent handling issues that had plagued them through Friday’s practice sessions. Liam Lawson, standing in for an undisclosed driver, experienced a notable spin exiting the first chicane, losing the rear of his RB22. This incident highlighted the delicate balance and challenging characteristics of the Red Bull chassis at high-speed Monza. Verstappen, however, managed to temporarily climb to second place behind Antonelli, suggesting that while some progress had been made overnight, the team’s underlying balance issues remained partially unresolved. The reigning constructors’ champions, usually dominant, appeared uncharacteristically vulnerable, a significant narrative shift in the 2026 season.
The session truly came alive after the halfway mark, with teams initiating their qualifying simulations. Verstappen, opting for a medium tyre run, came remarkably close to Antonelli’s leading time, showcasing his innate ability to extract performance even from a challenging car. He was closely shadowed by the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, both sporting the striking 1996 throwback livery, a vivid reminder of a glorious era for the Scuderia. This tribute to Michael Schumacher, who made his Ferrari debut that year, added an emotional layer to Ferrari’s performance at their home race, with fans hoping the sentiment would translate into a strong result.
It was Mercedes, however, that ultimately unleashed its full potential. George Russell, benefitting from a strategic slipstream from his teammate, championship leader Kimi Antonelli, meticulously improved his lap times. First, he posted a 1m22.687s, before further lowering the benchmark to a 1m22.463s. The deliberate deployment of slipstreaming tactics, a perennial feature at Monza, underscores Mercedes’ detailed preparation for qualifying, especially given Antonelli’s upcoming grid penalty. The Italian, who will start from the back, is expected to play a crucial role in assisting Russell during Q3 to maximize the team’s grid positions.
Antonelli, on his own, demonstrated formidable pace, slotting into second with a 1m22.696s lap. His consistent speed, despite the looming penalty, did little to diminish Mercedes’ pre-race confidence in their ability to orchestrate a significant recovery through the field for their title protagonist on Sunday. The team’s strategy appears clear: secure the best possible grid positions for Russell, while Antonelli, despite his penalty, will aim to minimize the damage and climb through the field.
In the final five minutes of the session, Russell delivered a definitive statement, clocking a 1m22.219s to secure the top spot. Hamilton, capitalizing on a tow from McLaren’s Lando Norris, swiftly moved into second, underlining the effectiveness of the slipstream at Monza and the strategic intelligence of the drivers. Verstappen followed closely, claiming third, while Antonelli settled for fourth, completing a strong top four that highlighted the fierce competition at the front.
Elsewhere on the grid, McLaren endured a challenging session, unable to overcome the difficulties they faced on Friday. Lando Norris could only manage fifth place, suggesting the Woking-based team has yet to find the optimal setup for the low-downforce demands of Monza. Charles Leclerc, in the second Ferrari, finished sixth, struggling to find a clear lap amidst traffic and the evolving track conditions. Oscar Piastri, Norris’s teammate, concluded the session in eighth, visibly frustrated after several lock-ups into Turn 1 and expressing his displeasure over the team radio. McLaren’s performance trajectory for 2026, after a promising start to the season, appears to be encountering a dip on high-speed circuits.
A significant point of interest came from the Racing Bulls camp, where rookie sensation Arvid Lindblad continued to impress. Lindblad, designated as the only rookie for the 2026 season, steered his car to an impressive seventh place, showcasing the potential of Racing Bulls’ innovative "rotating rear wing" concept. This advanced aerodynamic solution, designed to optimize drag reduction on straights and increase downforce in corners, appears to be delivering tangible benefits, allowing Lindblad to outperform more experienced drivers like Piastri and concede only half a second to the session leader, Russell. His consistent top-ten finishes have been a highlight of the season for the team.
The Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto rounded out the top 10, with Gasly in ninth and Colapinto in tenth. Their performance signifies Alpine’s continued effort to consolidate their position in the highly competitive midfield battle, aiming to regain momentum after a mixed bag of results earlier in the season. At the rear of the field, Aston Martin and the newly introduced Cadillac team found themselves embroiled in a battle to avoid the final row of the grid, highlighting their ongoing struggles to adapt to the new 2026 regulations and compete at the pinnacle of motorsport. Cadillac’s entry, while eagerly anticipated, has been marked by a steep learning curve in its inaugural season.
With qualifying just hours away, the stage is set for a dramatic session. The strategic use of slipstreams, tyre management, and the sheer bravery required to navigate Monza’s high-speed corners will be paramount. Mercedes appears to hold a slight advantage, but with Hamilton showcasing promising pace in his Ferrari and Verstappen always a threat, the fight for pole position is expected to be fiercely contested. Antonelli’s grid penalty adds an intriguing strategic layer, making Sunday’s race a compelling narrative for the championship leader.
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Author Profile
- Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.
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