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Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton delivered a statement opening to the Italian Grand Prix weekend, securing a Ferrari one-two in FP1 at Monza. Leclerc topped the session ahead of his team-mate, giving the Scuderia the strongest possible start on home soil and an immediate warning to its Formula 1 rivals.
George Russell put Mercedes third, followed by Liam Lawson and Kimi Antonelli. Lando Norris, who led the early running, ultimately slipped to sixth, finishing one tenth ahead of Arvid Lindblad in the leading Racing Bulls car.
Gabriel Bortoleto continued his strong recent form by placing eighth for Audi. The Alpine pairing of Franco Colapinto and Paul Aron completed the top 10, with Aron deputising for Pierre Gasly during the session. Gasly’s absence came as part of the FIA’s rookie practice requirements, while the weekend had already begun with news that he had been stripped of his Monaco Grand Prix podium. Read more about the FIA decision involving Gasly.
The opening hour was relatively calm on track at the Temple of Speed, although several drivers had moments, including Leclerc and Fernando Alonso. The main interruption came after 20 minutes, when Colton Herta’s Cadillac ground to a halt with a suspected hydraulic issue. Herta had crashed heavily in F2 practice earlier in the day, and his stoppage brought out the red flag.
Norris was leading the timing sheets when the interruption arrived, but Ferrari moved to the front as the session progressed. Leclerc’s pace ultimately placed him first, with Hamilton completing a high-profile Ferrari lockout at the top.
Lawson was another standout performer. He spent most of the hour inside the top five and appeared comfortable during only his second weekend in the RB22, underlining the competitive start to his Monza outing.
Max Verstappen sat out FP1, leaving Ayumu Iwasa to run the other Red Bull. Iwasa finished 17th, behind the quickest rookies: Aron in 10th and Luke Browning in 15th for Williams.
The early result is only a first reference point, but Ferrari could hardly have asked for a more imposing opening at its home race. Leclerc and Hamilton now head into the next phase of the weekend with the rest of the field looking for answers to the Scuderia’s one-two pace.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.