Ferrari show pace, but Mercedes finish Friday on top at Monza
Ferrari gave the tifosi plenty to cheer about in the opening practice session at Monza, with Charles Leclerc setting the pace ahead of Lewis Hamilton. The encouraging part for the Scuderia was that Leclerc’s quickest lap came on the medium tyres, while the team’s low-drag package appeared to be working well in the scorching Italian conditions.
But by the end of the day, Mercedes had moved to the front. George Russell topped FP2, with Leclerc just 0.120s behind and Kimi Antonelli only 0.141s off the fastest time. With Ferrari and Mercedes separated by very little, Monza is shaping up to be a fascinating battle at the front.
McLaren were close enough to remain firmly in the conversation, although both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished FP2 a few tenths away from Russell. Red Bull, meanwhile, had a more difficult afternoon, with Max Verstappen complaining about his car and ending the session ninth.
The big story for Sunday remains Antonelli. Despite showing front-running pace on Friday, the Italian is set to start the Grand Prix from the back of the grid following his power unit changes. That means the home fans could be in for quite a recovery drive if Mercedes can maintain this form.
After Friday, one thing is clear: Ferrari have arrived with genuine pace, Mercedes are right there with them, and Monza remains wide open heading into the weekend.