Lewis Hamilton headed the second Mercedes of George Russell in the final practice session for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
The number 44 Mercedes was quickest for the second consecutive practice session, Hamilton posting a best time just under a tenth of a second quicker than his team mate. Charles Leclerc was third fastest ahead of the two McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
It was a slightly cooler start to Saturday compared to Friday’s second practice session, but ambient temperatures were still over 30C when the final hour of practice began.
A slow start to the session saw only the two Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez take to the track of the top teams in the opening minutes. Using the medium compound tyres, Verstappen set the initial pace with a 1’21.560, a tenth quicker than his team mate.
The two Mercedes took to the track, Russell going quickest by three tenths over the Red Bulls, then Hamilton moving into second. Then it was the McLarens’ turn to head out, with both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris taking turns at the top of the times with their soft tyres.
Times continued to tumble as drivers found more speed around the new Monza surface. Leclerc put his Ferrari on top with a 1’20.614 on softs, while Russell improved on his used mediums to go second, just under a tenth behind.
Piastri had a moment on the exit of the second Lesmo, kicking up gravel as he ran wide, with Verstappen following suit soon after. Alexander Albon put his updated Williams to the top of the times on soft tyres, before he was displaced by Carlos Sainz Jnr.
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Teams fitted fresh soft tyres for their qualifying simulation runs towards the end of the session. Hamilton went quickest of all with a 1’20.117, a time his team mate got within a tenth of. Verstappen was two tenths slower than Hamilton with his personal best push lap, complaining that his RB20 “wouldn’t turn.”
There were no improvements at the front of the field in the final minutes of the session with Hamilton ending the hour as the fastest driver ahead of Mercedes team mate Russell. Leclerc was third ahead of the two McLarens of Piastri and Norris with Verstappen in sixth and Sainz seventh. Albon was eighth ahead of his debuting team mate Franco Colapinto with Nico Hulkenberg tenth for Haas.
The stewards will investigate an incident involving Leclerc, Piastri and Daniel Ricciardo after the session. Piastri seemed to be caught…
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