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Leclerc Leads Ferrari One-Two in Italian GP Opening Practice

Posted : 04 September 2026

Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari’s home fans plenty to celebrate by setting the fastest time in Friday’s opening practice for the Italian Grand Prix. The Monegasque led teammate Lewis Hamilton to a Ferrari one-two at Monza, recording a lap of 1:23.008 to finish 0.173 seconds clear of the seven-time world champion.

Mercedes’ George Russell was third, 0.304 seconds behind Leclerc, while Red Bull’s Liam Lawson finished fourth. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli completed the top five, with McLaren’s Lando Norris sixth and Oscar Piastri 11th.

Leclerc set his benchmark on medium tyres despite several rivals using the softer compound for their fastest attempts. His performance came as Ferrari introduced an updated power unit for its home race, providing an encouraging early indication of the team’s pace around Monza’s high-speed layout.

Ferrari also used the occasion to pay tribute to Michael Schumacher, running a special livery inspired by the German legend’s first season with the Scuderia in 1996. The design marks 30 years since Schumacher secured his first Italian Grand Prix victory with Ferrari.

Hamilton has additional motivation this weekend, with Antonelli set to start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid because of an engine-related penalty. The Italian currently leads the championship, with Hamilton and Russell both 59 points behind him, giving Ferrari an opportunity to make significant progress in the title battle.

The opening session was briefly interrupted when Cadillac’s Colton Herta stopped on track with a suspected hydraulic problem. Herta completed only five laps and ended the session at the bottom of the standings. Four other drivers also made substitute appearances, with Ayumu Iwasa, Luke Browning and Paul Aron joining Herta as young drivers given FP1 outings.

While Ferrari enjoyed a dream start, McLaren had a quieter session. Norris finished sixth, more than seven-tenths off Leclerc’s pace, while championship contender Piastri was 11th. The remaining practice sessions and qualifying will provide a clearer picture of whether Ferrari can maintain its advantage when the weekend intensifies.

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