Friday’s practice sessions at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix in Monza highlighted Mercedes’ strong pace, with George Russell setting the fastest time in the second session and Kimi Antonelli placing third. Antonelli’s focus was primarily on race pace due to a grid penalty, while Russell’s performance underlined Mercedes’ competitiveness at the Temple of Speed.
Ferrari also showed solid speed, with Charles Leclerc topping the first practice and finishing second in the second session. Lewis Hamilton was close behind but noted ongoing work to improve car balance and the effects of a recent power unit upgrade. Meanwhile, McLaren tested an upside-down rear wing design, with Lando Norris outpacing teammate Oscar Piastri, though both drivers acknowledged the need for further pace improvements.
Red Bull faced challenges with car balance, resulting in Max Verstappen finishing ninth in FP2 and Liam Lawson outside the top ten. Ayumu Iwasa contributed by collecting aerodynamic data during the first session. Racing Bulls demonstrated promising progress, with Arvid Lindblad and Yuki Tsunoda running closely and aiming for a spot in Q3.
Audi encountered a power unit issue with Gabriel Bortoleto during the second session, while Nico Hulkenberg remained consistent but outside the top ten. Alpine introduced upgrades on Franco Colapinto’s car, with Pierre Gasly expressing confidence despite mixed results in FP2. Rookie Paul Aron gained valuable experience throughout the day.
Haas brought upgrades that helped Oliver Bearman secure a top ten finish in FP2, although Esteban Ocon struggled with inconsistency. Williams had a difficult day, with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz working on setup adjustments but still facing limited pace. Aston Martin experienced challenges as well; Fernando Alonso had a gravel excursion and some car issues, while Lance Stroll also found pace hard to come by.
Cadillac’s Colton Herta was limited by a hydraulic problem in FP1, but teammates Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas completed more laps and made some progress. Teams will use the data gathered from Friday’s sessions to prepare for qualifying and the race, focusing on refining car balance and addressing technical issues observed during practice.