Ferrari Dominates First Practice at Monza

Charles Leclerc lit up Monza on Friday afternoon, heading a Ferrari one-two in first practice as the Scuderia’s long-awaited engine upgrade made an immediate statement at their home Grand Prix.

The Monegasque clocked a 1:23.008 to top the timesheets, 0.173s clear of team-mate Lewis Hamilton, with George Russell a further tenth back in third for Mercedes. On paper it was a strong start. In context, it was even better.

Both Ferraris set their best laps on the medium compound. Russell needed the softer, theoretically quicker tyre to get within three tenths.

Ferrari land an early punch

Ferrari chose Monza, of all places, to roll out the second and final power unit upgrade permitted this season, after FIA measurements showed their engine lagging behind Red Bull and Mercedes. They also arrived with a raft of low-drag, circuit-specific chassis tweaks tailored for Monza’s long straights and heavy braking zones.

The early evidence? Encouraging.

Leclerc looked hooked up from the outset, Hamilton close behind as the red cars sliced through the afternoon heat with apparent ease. The lap times came without the fireworks of low-fuel, soft-tyre runs, which will only fuel optimism in the Ferrari garage that there is more to come when the wick is turned up.

For the tifosi, this is exactly the kind of opening act they craved.

Antonelli lurking despite back-row fate

World championship leader Kimi Antonelli ended the session fifth for Mercedes, behind an impressive Liam Lawson but ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Antonelli’s headline position matters less than usual this weekend. The Italian will start from the back of the grid on Sunday after exceeding his season allocation of engine components. With that penalty locked in, Mercedes have little incentive to chase one-lap glory on a Friday.

That’s the caveat hanging over Ferrari’s early supremacy: if Antonelli and Mercedes were sandbagging, the picture at the sharp end could tighten dramatically once qualifying simulations begin.

Even so, the standings tell their own story. Antonelli leads both Russell and Hamilton by 59 points, with Norris 83 adrift in fourth. The champion-elect can afford a compromised Saturday. Ferrari cannot.

Lawson shines in reshuffled Red Bull line-up

Lawson delivered one of the standout performances of the session, taking fourth for Red Bull in a car that did not feature either of the team’s confirmed 2026 race drivers.

The New Zealander stepped in for Isack Hadjar, who misses a second consecutive race after injuring his wrist over the summer break. Lawson seized the opportunity, placing his car between the two Mercedes and underlining his credentials at a time when Red Bull’s long-term line-up remains under scrutiny.

Max Verstappen, meanwhile, sat out the session as Red Bull fulfilled rookie running requirements. His RB was handed to Ayumu Iwasa, who finished 17th as he eased his way into one of the most demanding cockpits in the sport.

Rookie roll call and mixed fortunes

It was a busy hour for fresh faces.

Paul Aron emerged as the best of the rookies, steering his Alpine to an assured 10th place. On a day of low grip and high pressure, it was a quietly impressive effort that will not have gone unnoticed in the paddock.

Colton Herta’s long-awaited run with Cadillac, by contrast, was cut short. A technical issue curtailed his session and left the American with only a brief taste of F1 machinery at Monza, a frustrating outcome given the limited opportunities on offer.

Luke Browning completed his programme for Williams and finished 15th, another important step in his development as teams juggle the present with the future.

Norris waits in the wings

Behind Antonelli in sixth, Norris kept a relatively low profile, but his presence near the front remains ominous. The McLaren driver has won the last two races to reignite his title defence and arrives in Italy with momentum and confidence.

If Ferrari’s upgrade holds up under the glare of qualifying and race conditions, Monza could become a three-way fight between the resurgent home team, a Mercedes squad hiding its true hand, and a McLaren operation that has found a groove at just the right time.

Practice one rarely tells the whole story. Yet on a circuit that exposes both power and poise, Ferrari’s upgraded engine and refined chassis have passed their first public test.

Now comes the real question: was this a glimpse of a genuine Monza revival, or just the calm before Mercedes and McLaren unleash their full pace on Saturday?