George Russell grabbed the spotlight in final practice (FP3) for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The Mercedes driver set the fastest time, underlining his status as a strong contender for pole position.
Russell's best lap of 1m22.219s was 0.226s clear of Lewis Hamilton in second. Notably, the time came without a tow from teammate Kimi Antonelli.
Verstappen vs Hamilton Drama at the End
Max Verstappen finished third, showing improved single-lap pace for Red Bull compared to Friday. However, a minor incident between Verstappen and Hamilton near the end of the session caught the stewards' attention.
Hamilton overtook Verstappen entering the Parabolica corner. Verstappen then gave a thumbs-up, indicating his lap was compromised, and deliberately ran wide at the first corner to prevent Hamilton from taking the apex. This added tension ahead of qualifying.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who faces grid penalties this weekend, took fourth. Lando Norris, winner of the last two races, was the best McLaren in fifth.
Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri showed impressive pace in the first two sectors but lost time in the final sector, settling for eighth. This points to varying energy management strategies among teams.
With Russell's strong performance, the fight for pole at Monza is set to be intense. Can the Mercedes driver convert his pace into pole? We'll see in qualifying.
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