Russell Beats Hamilton to Top Final Practice Ahead of Italian GP Qualifying

Posted : 05 September 2026

George Russell delivered a strong warning to his rivals by topping final practice for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The Mercedes driver posted a 1:22.219 to finish 0.226 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton.

Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli completed the top four. The result gives Mercedes strong momentum heading into Saturday afternoon qualifying.

Russell improved late in the session after Mercedes worked on its qualifying setup. He also benefited from a tow from Antonelli as the team tested a slipstream strategy that could be important during qualifying.

Antonelli's role could be particularly significant because he is set to start Sunday's race from the back of the grid following an engine penalty. The Italian therefore has little to gain from his own qualifying position, allowing Mercedes to use him to help Russell's pole challenge.

Hamilton provided Ferrari with further encouragement by taking second place. The seven-time world champion used a tow from Lando Norris to improve his lap time and finished within a quarter of a second of Russell.

Ferrari had started the weekend strongly, with Charles Leclerc and Hamilton completing a one-two in Friday's opening practice. Russell responded in FP2 by beating Leclerc and Antonelli, showing that Mercedes had made significant progress as the weekend developed.

Leclerc finished sixth in FP3, behind McLaren's Lando Norris. Oscar Piastri was eighth after struggling with lock-ups, leaving McLaren with work to do before qualifying.

Verstappen's third-place finish was another positive after Red Bull experienced balance problems during Friday practice. The Dutchman had complained about a lack of downforce in FP2 and finished only 10th in that session.

Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad continued to impress by finishing seventh. The 18-year-old was the leading midfield driver, while Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto completed the top 10.

The session also highlighted just how competitive the field is at Monza. The top 12 drivers were separated by less than one second, setting up a potentially tight qualifying battle.

Russell's pace is particularly important for the championship. Antonelli leads the standings by 59 points, while Russell and Hamilton are tied on 183 points after 12 rounds. A strong result for either driver in Italy could therefore have a major impact on the title fight.

With Mercedes leading the final practice session and Ferrari remaining close, Russell enters qualifying as the clear benchmark. Hamilton, Verstappen, Leclerc and Norris will all be looking to challenge the Mercedes driver when the fight for pole position begins.

Russell Beats Hamilton to Top Final Practice Ahead of Italian GP Qualifying

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