15:05
Medium tyres were rapid earlier, and Leclerc and Hamilton immediately go to the top on the yellow-walled rubber. However, Antonelli takes over by 0.055s on hard tyres.
Hamilton at Monza for Ferrari
© XPB Images
F1 Monza LIVE: Italian GP reaction after George Russell tops FP2
Live coverage of Friday at the F1 Italian Grand Prix
KEY MOMENTS
- Antonelli set for back-of-the-grid start
- Ferrari 1-2 in FP1 as Leclerc fastest
- Gasly's Monaco F1 penalty reapplied
The 13th round of the 2026 Formula 1 season takes place at the Italian Grand Prix.
The Temple of Speed will be bathed in Ferrari Rosso for the weekend, but this colouring is likely to be broken up by fans sporting home hero Kimi Antonelli's merchandise.
The Mercedes driver arrives at Monza with a 59-point advantage over both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, but faces a tough task on Sunday, as an engine penalty, confirmed by his team, will see him start from the back of the grid.
Ferrari has brought its upgraded power unit to the track for the first time, in a bid to close the gap on front-runners Mercedes and McLaren, with Lando Norris having triumphed on the last two weekends for the latter. McLaren will also debut its rotating rear wing, which it has called the H-Wing.
Super-clipping is expected to be a significant issue this weekend, especially on the run to Turn 1 in the race, with energy being spent down the back straight, no heavy braking for the Parabolica, and the main straight immediately following. How drivers manage their energy will be more crucial than ever this weekend.
2026 Italian Grand Prix Friday schedule
FP1 11:30am BST - 12:30pm BST
FP2: 3:00pm BST - 4:00pm BST
04 Sep 2026
15:04
In FP1, the times were largely set in the first half of the session, before drivers switched focus to the long-run pace. Time will tell if things follow a similar pattern now.
15:00
Green light!
FP2 begins, and Bortoleto is the first driver out onto the track.
14:56
But after all that drama, it's time to get back to the events on the track. Leclerc led a Ferrari 1-2 in FP1, but we now know that he will be forced to provide Hamilton with a tow in qualifying should he want one.
Ferrari, it seems, is getting serious about the drivers' championship battle.
14:51
McLaren respond
Sitting right next to Briatore, Andrea Stella was initially cautious to steer clear of the drama, but his hand felt forced, and he defended both McLaren and the FIA.
McLaren 'insulted' by Flavio Briatore allegations in heated Monaco fallout
Andrea Stella was forced to defend the integrity of both McLaren and the FIA Court of Appeal in a bizarre and heated press conference after Pierre Gasly's Monaco penalty was reapplied.
Red Bull and McLaren successfully appealed the FIA's decision to remove Gasly's 10-second penalty from the Monaco Grand Prix.
McLaren had to make some tough calls on the pit wall
14:50
But things took a turn...
However, boss Flavio Briatore was in the FIA press conference in the break, and that is where things took a dramatic turn.
Flavio Briatore accuses ‘very nasty’ judge of McLaren bias in explosive rant
Alpine’s Flavio Briatore has made an explosive allegation that one of the judges involved in the appeal hearing over the result of the Monaco Grand Prix has links to McLaren.
Alpine driver Pierre Gasly had his two five-second penalties reimposed and has been stripped of his Monaco Grand Prix podium finish for a second time after McLaren and Red Bull succeeded with their appeals.
Alpine's Flavio Briatore made some extraordinary claims about McLaren
14:48
Alpine's response
Initially, the response from Alpine came with a tone of acceptance and was very diplomatic.
'Make sure it never happens again' - Alpine demand F1 to fix Monaco penalty chaos
Alpine managing director Steve Nielsen has demanded that Formula 1 and the FIA focus on making sure there is never a repeat of the penalty chaos at the Monaco Grand Prix after Pierre Gasly was stripped of his podium result.
Gasly initially crossed the line in third place at Monaco in May, but dropped to seventh when a 10-second penalty was applied post-race for allegedly speeding in the pit lane. He was not the only driver penalised that day; however, he was alone in not serving the penalty during the race, something that allowed Alpine to challenge the verdict.
Alpine are bidding to overturn Gasly's penalties
14:45
Good afternoon!
Good afternoon and welcome back to Monza where it has been a chaotic break between sessions as the fallout has exploded after the FIA Court of Appeal upheld Red Bull and McLaren's appeal to have Pierre Gasly's Monaco penalty reinstated. Hold on, because here comes the details.
12:47
2026 F1 Italian Grand Prix - Monza Friday Practice Results
2026 F1 Italian Grand Prix - Monza Friday Practice Results
Charles Leclerc led a Ferrari one-two in first practice for the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Ferrari set the early pace at Monza with Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton at the top of the table for Ferrari.
Ferrari is running a special livery for its home race at Monza
12:41
Charles Leclerc heads Ferrari 1-2 as new engine debuts in Monza F1 practice
Charles Leclerc heads Ferrari 1-2 as new engine debuts in Monza F1 practice
Charles Leclerc led Formula 1 team-mate Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari one-two in opening practice at the team’s home Italian Grand Prix.
Ferrari has introduced a new engine as it goes all out to claim a memorable victory at Monza and Leclerc made a perfect start to the weekend by topping the timesheets on medium tyres, 0.173 seconds clear of seven-time world champion Hamilton.
Leclerc is looking to score his third win at Monza as a Ferrari driver
12:33
Top 10 in FP1
The top 10 in FP1 are:
- Leclerc
- Hamilton
- Russell
- Lawson
- Antonelli
- Norris
- Lindblad
- Bortoleto
- Colapinto
- Aron
12:30
FP1 Chequered flag
The chequered flag falls, and Leclerc leads Hamilton to a 1-2. That is just the ticket for the punters in the stands.
12:26
We're into the final five minutes and it looks like teams are largely focusing on long runs for the closing moments.
12:23
Out of the first Lesmo, Alonso dips the left side of his Aston Martin deep into the gravel. He improves to P18 with this latest effort, but that was a moment that would certainly have caught his notice.
Even with the moment, he didn't lift off at all.
12:21
The H-Wing at McLaren is extremely wobbly on the back of the car. Given the movement already, there will be concerns about whether that could take the stress of an entire race distance.
12:18
The fastest times so far are being completed on the medium tyre. Hamilton now moves to second behind Leclerc's relatively early effort. Even with a slipstream, he was unable to match his team-mate.
12:16
It has been quite a slow start for Aston Martin as well, with Stroll and Alonso in 20th and 21st.
12:15
Luke Browning becomes the latest driver to take a trip across the Turn 1 run-off, which now has gravel in the inside of it.
12:14
The early indications are that Ferrari and Mercedes are the pace teams, with Leclerc and Russell leading team-mates Hamilton and Antonelli.
12:13
Paul Aron again is caught out weaving when faster cars are approaching. Should the FIA elect to penalise Aron for this, he could miss out on securing the super licence point that he would otherwise secure for completing the session.
12:05
Iwasa finds traffic on his latest lap, as he comes across an Audi and an Alpine. It wasn't great from the slower cars, but it's also a constant problem at Monza.
12:03
Both Cadillacs are now stuck. Herta's problem has been confirmed as a hydraulic issue, but as we type this, Bottas' car has been fixed and he has now taken to the track. Panic over, and no sign of any brake fires just yet.
12:02
In case you were thinking that the fallout from Gasly's penalty situation would be minimal, Alpine boss Flavio Briatore is set to feature in the press conference between practice sessions. Grab some popcorn for that one!
12:01
To the top goes Leclerc for Ferrari, with a 1m23.008s. He's over three tenths clear of Russell.
12:00
2026 Formula 1 world championship standings after the Red Bull-McLaren Monaco appeal
2026 Formula 1 world championship standings after the Red Bull-McLaren Monaco appeal
Pierre Gasly has lost nine world championship points after his Monaco Grand Prix penalty was reapplied.
McLaren and Red Bull appealed the decision to overturn Gasly's penalty from Monaco. Initially, Gasly was among the many drivers penalised for speeding in the pit lane.
Gasly has regained his podium from Monaco