The 2025 Italian Grand Prix kicked off with a commanding performance from Ferrari, as Lewis Hamilton led a 1-2 finish for the Scuderia in the first practice session at Monza.
Hamilton posted a blistering 1m20.117s in the final five minutes, eclipsing teammate Charles Leclerc by 0.169s to claim the top spot.
The session, however, was far from straightforward, marked by interruptions and challenges for several drivers.
With 25 minutes remaining, the session was halted by a red flag triggered by Isack Hadjar, fresh off his Zandvoort podium. The young driver dipped a wheel into the gravel at Variante Ascari, scattering debris across the track.
This incident disrupted early soft-tyre runs, including those of Max Verstappen, who had set the initial pace with a 1m20.692s on softs but struggled with grip, particularly after failing to improve on his medium-tyre first sector.
Verstappen’s frustrations were evident as he reported a lack of traction, ultimately finishing fourth behind Carlos Sainz, who slotted into third.
Leclerc briefly led the timesheets after finding over 0.4s to overtake Verstappen’s early benchmark. But his session wasn’t without drama, as he narrowly avoided trouble during an earlier red flag incident.
Passing a Sauber on the exit of Curva Grande as the red flag was deployed, Leclerc braked hard but couldn’t slow enough to stay behind.
The stewards, however, deemed no further action was necessary. Leclerc’s strong pace post-red flag kept him in contention until Hamilton’s late flyer relegated him to second.
McLaren’s Lando Norris struggled with a difficult-to-handle car, abandoning two soft-tyre laps early in the session. He eventually finished sixth, behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli in fifth.
Meanwhile, George Russell’s session ended prematurely when his Mercedes lost power and became stuck in seventh gear, stopping on the exit of Curva Grande in the closing minutes of the session.
This halted any chance of late improvements across the field, leaving Russell eighth. Alex Albon, who didn’t set a time on softs, took seventh, with Fernando Alonso and Hadjar rounding out the top 10.
The session also featured rookie drivers attempting to make their mark. Alex Dunne, replacing championship leader Oscar Piastri at McLaren, finished a respectable 16th.
Paul Aron, stepping in for Franco Colapinto at Alpine, struggled, spinning at Variante della Roggia and finishing last, a tenth behind Oliver Bearman.
Ferrari’s strong start at their home Grand Prix sets the tone for a competitive weekend, with Hamilton and Leclerc showcasing the team’s pace. However, with red flags and mechanical gremlins already in play, the field looks set for an unpredictable battle at Monza.
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