Lewis Hamilton leads Ferrari 1-2 in F1 Italian GP FP1

Lewis Hamilton led a dominant Ferrari 1-2 in F1 Italian GP FP1 at the iconic Monza circuit, topping the timesheets ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton set a commanding lap time of 1:20.117 on the soft compound tires during the final minutes of the session which allowed him to edge out Leclerc by a slender 0.169s, cementing Scuderia’s strong start on their home turf at the Temple of Speed.

The session began with both drivers running on medium tyres, immediately setting competitive times. Leclerc initially took the early advantage with a 1:22.021, but the times quickly tumbled as other drivers pushed the limits on various tyre compounds.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Williams’ Alex Albon briefly took the lead with impressive laps on medium and hard tyres respectively, showcasing the competitive midfield and the constant battle for supremacy.

Verstappen notably clocked an early fast lap of 1:20.692 on soft tyres but reported significant lack of grip, indicating some setup challenges on the Red Bull at Monza.

The reigning F1 world champion later returned to the pits to fine-tune the car in pursuit of better traction but was unable to improve the time further before a mid-session red flag interrupted the running.

The red flag was triggered by Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar who overshot the Variante Ascari corner and scattered gravel across the track, forcing a temporary halt for safety and clean-up.

This interruption came with around 25 minutes left on the clock and affected the rhythm of drivers’ running, especially those preparing their final quick laps on the soft tyres.

After the session resumed, Charles Leclerc managed a stellar lap on soft tyres, posting a 1:20.286 that briefly put him back in the overall lead.

Lewis Hamilton, however, responded in style towards the final moments with his quickest lap of the session, reclaiming the top spot in front of the passionate Italian fans.

Full 2025 F1 Italian Grand Prix FP1 Results

Other notable performances included Williams’ Carlos Sainz, who delivered a strong third-place showing, just over half a second off Hamilton’s time. His solid pace underscored the team’s recent progress, making them a clear contender within the midfield pack.

Home hero Kimi Antonelli impressed the home crowd by finishing fifth for Mercedes as he marks his first full Italian GP weekend, his presence adding an extra layer of excitement for Monza.

Lando Norris in the McLaren struggled initially on soft tyres, aborting two flying laps due to handling issues before settling for sixth place, well off the pace set by the Ferraris.

Mercedes saw a mixed session as George Russell was forced to stop on track due to a suspected hydraulics issue, dropping him to eighth place by the session’s end.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso continued to show consistency with a ninth-place finish, while Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar ended up tenth despite the gravel incident earlier in the session.

The session also featured promising showings from more junior drivers. Alex Dunne, standing in for McLaren’s championship leader Oscar Piastri, finished in 16th place, gaining valuable track time.

Paul Aron took part in his Alpine debut stepping in for Franco Colapinto, and ended the session 20th. These opportunities highlight the teams’ ongoing development strategies and the future talent pipeline in Formula 1.

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