The Temple of Speed delivered exactly what fans had hoped for on Friday: flat-out drama, wheel-to-wheel tension in practice, and a storyline that looks set to carry straight into qualifying. Ferrari sent the Tifosi wild with a one-two in the morning, but McLaren flipped the script in the afternoon as Lando Norris stormed to the top of the timesheets.
Ferrari Spark the Crowd in P1
The grandstands were already buzzing when Lewis Hamilton reminded everyone why Ferrari signed him. The seven-time world champion stopped the clock at 1:20.117, giving the Italian fans a reason to roar. Charles Leclerc followed closely, just 0.169s behind, cementing a dream start for the Scuderia.
Carlos Sainz and Williams were the surprise act of the morning, sliding into third and showing genuine pace on Monza’s long straights. Max Verstappen couldn’t quite break Ferrari’s grip and settled for fourth, while rookie Kimi Antonelli made headlines with an impressive fifth in his Mercedes.
Lando Norris was only sixth, but the McLaren’s balance on long runs hinted at a bigger play later in the day. The top ten was rounded out by Alexander Albon, George Russell, Fernando Alonso, and rookie sensation Isack Hadjar, who continued to impress in the Racing Bulls.
The midfield, as always, was razor tight. Kick Sauber teammates Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg were separated by less than a blink, while Lance Stroll kept Aston Martin just ahead of Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull. Haas and Alpine struggled to find rhythm, leaving Gasly, Aron, Ocon, and Bearman chasing answers at the wrong end of the order.
McLaren Steal the Spotlight in P2
As the sun dipped and the grip levels rose, McLaren came alive. Lando Norris lit up the session with a flying 1:19.878, stealing back momentum from Ferrari by the slimmest of margins. Leclerc was second, a mere 0.083s off, while Sainz confirmed Williams’ new-found bite with third, just 0.096s behind.
Oscar Piastri made sure McLaren had both cars in the top four, piling more pressure on Ferrari. Hamilton, who had led in the morning, could do no better than fifth this time around, while Verstappen was just a breath away in sixth.
Albon and Williams continued to punch above their weight in seventh, Hülkenberg pushed Kick Sauber into eighth, and Tsunoda once again kept Red Bull in the top ten. Russell scraped into tenth for Mercedes, though his car looked more nervous than quick.
Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar was solid in 11th, while Bortoleto, Stroll, and Bearman stacked up behind. Alonso’s afternoon went backwards as he slipped to 15th, leaving Aston Martin scratching their heads. Haas and Alpine filled the bottom rungs, with Antonelli’s curtailed four-lap run the only major setback of the day. Franco Colapinto, in last, at least logged crucial mileage for Alpine.
What It All Means
Friday at Monza told two stories. The first was Ferrari’s power, rhythm, and emotional connection with the home crowd. The second was McLaren’s cold, clinical ability to turn the tables when it mattered most.
Norris looks like a genuine pole contender, with Piastri right there as backup. Ferrari have the momentum of the crowd but face a serious fight to keep both McLarens behind them. Meanwhile, Williams could end up being the biggest disruptor, with Sainz and Albon showing top-five potential that few predicted.
Red Bull don’t look unbeatable, Mercedes remain inconsistent, and Aston Martin are lost in the middle. Alpine and Haas, on the other hand, appear to be battling each other to avoid the back row.
With tenths separating the frontrunners and slipstream battles guaranteed down Monza’s iconic straights, qualifying is shaping up to be explosive. Ferrari struck first, but McLaren’s counterpunch has left this fight wide open. Saturday could be spectacular.
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