Norris stays ahead but Leclerc keeps it close in third Monza practice

Italian Grand Prix: Norris Tops Final Practice Ahead of Leclerc

Lando Norris led the final practice session for the Italian Grand Prix with a time of 1m19.331s, narrowly edging Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished just 0.021 seconds behind. This marks the second consecutive session where the McLaren and Ferrari drivers have shown exceptional pace, with less than 0.1 seconds separating them.

Norris established his leading time during his initial run on soft tires, while Leclerc faced early challenges. A significant slip at the second Lesmo corner hampered his first lap, though he improved on used soft tires to consolidate his position. Leclerc was notably faster in the first sector, outperforming Norris by over 0.3 seconds, but the McLaren driver reclaimed time through high-speed corners, ultimately securing the top time.

Oscar Piastri, Norris’s teammate, performed well, initially trailing Norris by 0.247 seconds but narrowing the gap to 0.165 seconds in later runs. Max Verstappen of Red Bull followed closely behind, finishing the session just 0.002 seconds behind Piastri after a late improvement.

George Russell rounded out the top five with a competitive showing for Mercedes, recording a time just 0.184 seconds shy of Norris’s best. Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto impressed with a sixth-place finish, maintaining pace with Ferrari in straight-line speed and only 0.227 seconds off the leader.

Lewis Hamilton encountered difficulties, concluding the session in seventh, reporting a need for increased speed after a lap 0.267 seconds off the pace. Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar showcased potential with a solid eighth-place finish but will face scrutiny from stewards for a track limit infraction.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Alex Albon completed the top ten, both maintaining competitive times. Antonelli was 0.365 seconds off the pace, while Albon, despite a performance drop compared to Friday, finished 0.389 seconds behind Norris.

Notable performances included Nico Hülkenberg in 11th, Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz, and Franco Colapinto who followed closely behind. Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson rounded out the midfield, with Lawson reporting potential damage after running wide earlier in the session.

Final Results: