George Russell laid down a marker for F1 Italian GP qualifying, topping the final practice session at Monza as Mercedes continued to outpace the chasing pack. The Briton edged out Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in a session that sizzled under the Italian sun.
Russell held a comfortable margin over the seven-time world champion, with Max Verstappen and championship leader Kimi Antonelli completing the top four. The battle for pole is shaping up to be a Mercedes-versus-the-rest affair, but the threat from Red Bull and the home hero cannot be ignored.
Slipstream Games and a Late Surge
Antonelli initially lit up the timing screens, but a trip through the gravel at Parabolica on his second soft-tyre run forced him to abort. Meanwhile, Red Bull's stand-in Liam Lawson spun at the first chicane, adding to the team's ongoing handling struggles.
Mercedes then turned up the wick, with Russell benefiting from a slipstream from his teammate to set a 1m22.463s before improving to a 1m22.219s. Hamilton, aided by a tow from Lando Norris, slotted into second, just 0.226s behind. Verstappen, on mediums, took third ahead of Antonelli, who will start from the back due to an engine penalty.
McLaren Struggles, Ferrari's Nostalgic Livery
McLaren continued to struggle, with Norris only managing fifth and an increasingly frustrated Oscar Piastri eighth after repeated lock-ups at Turn 1. Ferrari, running a 1996-inspired livery to honor Michael Schumacher, had Charles Leclerc in sixth, unable to match the front-runners.
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