George Russell set the pace in FP2 at the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix, finishing 0.120s ahead of Charles Leclerc as Kimi Antonelli completed the top three. Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri rounded out the top six at Monza.
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After FP1, where the teams gave young drivers a chance to take part, the full F1 field was back on track for the second free practice session of the Italian Grand Prix weekend. Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli got straight down to work.
The Dutchman was among the first drivers to head out onto the track, opting for the medium tyre compound. However, he was not satisfied with the car’s setup and eventually requested a complete front-wing change. With the modification, he managed a 1:23.950 lap.
Just 15 minutes into the session, Stroll’s lack of attention at the first corner almost resulted in a huge accident. The Canadian completely closed the door on Norris, but the Briton reacted quickly and steered his car into the run-off area. The FIA, naturally, noted the incident.
After 30 minutes, almost all of the drivers returned to the pits to analyse the opening stint. George Russell set the first timed lap of the second half of the session on soft tyres, immediately posting a purple first sector and a green second sector. However, his car stepped out on corner exit under acceleration from the Ascari chicane. Even so, he managed to complete the lap in 1:22.686.
On his way through the Roggia chicane, Bortoleto pulled off a great save and avoided a spin when the Audi suddenly moved underneath him.
During the final push, Russell moved to the top of the standings, followed by Leclerc, who was 0.120s behind. The order remained unchanged as the teams began setting up for their race-stint runs. Behind Russell and Leclerc, Antonelli finished third.
Norris beat Hamilton to fourth, with the two McLaren and Mercedes drivers respectively taking fourth and fifth, while Piastri completed the top six.
The full results of the FP1 according to FIA.com:
