The Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza has kicked off with a flurry of excitement, drama, and no shortage of surprises as Formula 1’s 16th round of the 2025 season gets underway at the fabled “Temple of Speed.” With Friday’s practice sessions setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling contest, fans and teams alike are bracing for a showdown that could shake up both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.
Friday’s action opened with Lewis Hamilton delivering a statement drive for Ferrari, topping the first practice session (FP1) with a lap time of 1:20.117. The Tifosi, ever-passionate in their support, erupted as Charles Leclerc followed closely in second, making it a Ferrari one-two at their home circuit. Williams’ Carlos Sainz slotted into third, while Max Verstappen, last year’s embattled Monza runner, secured fourth place for Red Bull Racing. Kimi Antonelli rounded out the top five for Mercedes, underscoring just how tight the field is at the sharp end.
The session wasn’t without its hiccups. A red flag was thrown with just 25 minutes left on the clock as marshals swept away gravel at Ascari, a classic Monza curve known for keeping drivers honest. Once the track was cleared, the drivers wasted no time squeezing in as many laps as possible, eager to maximize data ahead of Saturday’s crucial qualifying session. The drama only heightened when George Russell’s Mercedes ground to a halt, bringing FP1 to an early close and leaving the paddock buzzing with speculation.
But the intrigue didn’t stop with the established stars. McLaren junior Alex Dunne made his FP1 debut, stepping in for Oscar Piastri and becoming the first driver to register a timed lap. Over at Alpine, Paul Aron took over Franco Colapinto’s car, adding another fresh face to the grid. While Dunne’s time was quickly eclipsed by Verstappen’s early flyer on medium Pirelli tyres, the opportunity for both rookies to gain experience at Monza was a talking point among team strategists and fans alike.
Moving into the afternoon, the competitive landscape shifted yet again. Lando Norris, the ever-consistent McLaren ace, topped the second practice session (FP2), narrowly edging out Leclerc by just 0.083 seconds and Sainz by 0.096 seconds. The top six drivers were separated by less than two tenths of a second—a razor-thin margin that hints at a weekend where every thousandth will count. Oscar Piastri, championship leader and Norris’s teammate, was just 0.181 seconds off the pace, while Hamilton and Verstappen rounded out the top six. As Norris put it, “The thing is, we’re so dominant as a team, that almost makes my life harder. That’s really the most frustrating part of it all but otherwise it’s still to an effect, may the best man win, may the best driver win.”
For Red Bull, the mood is one of cautious optimism—markedly different from the anxiety that clouded last year’s Monza outing. Verstappen, who famously described his RB20 as “an undriveable monster” in 2024, is feeling much more upbeat about the RB21’s prospects. After finishing sixth in FP2, just two-tenths behind Norris, Verstappen shared, “Last year for us this was a very difficult weekend and I think we seem a lot more competitive. I’ve been happy with the car as well. The sessions have been quite tricky also with people going off and putting a lot of gravel on the track, but overall it’s been quite a decent Friday I think for us.”
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko echoed Verstappen’s sentiments, telling Sky DE, “In contrast to last year, there is a clear improvement. The long run was very good, but on the softs we still need to improve a bit for qualifying. However, the gap is not drastic. If McLaren doesn’t put sand in our eyes, it could be very exciting.” Marko also highlighted the team’s improved understanding of car setup and tyre management, noting, “We think we know where we need to intervene. And a deficit of just under two tenths is encouraging.”
Yuki Tsunoda, Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, also found positives in Friday’s running. Finishing ninth in FP2, Tsunoda remarked, “I think it ended up pretty positive for FP2, especially the short run. The pace was really, really good. We have to find out why, to be honest, because I picked up so much grip on the soft run. I didn’t expect that with the pace, so I have to understand why. For the long run, it’s a place that [we’re] a bit still lacking on pace. You have to balance between short and long run, but the long run is a little bit off, so [there’ll be] a bit more focus on that.”
Elsewhere in the paddock, speculation about Verstappen’s future continues to swirl. With rumors of a potential move to Ferrari gaining traction, Verstappen addressed the chatter head-on ahead of the Italian Grand Prix. “They have two drivers contracted for next year, so there is no discussion anyway. Now, is there a chance? Yes, there are a lot of chances in life for any kind of decision. Of course, at the moment that is not on the horizon, but who knows? I don’t even know how long I’m driving in Formula 1, so there are still a lot of unknowns for me.” Despite his contract with Red Bull running through 2028, the Dutchman left the door open for the future, keeping fans and pundits guessing.
Verstappen also weighed in on Lewis Hamilton’s adaptation to Ferrari’s SF-25, acknowledging the unique challenges faced by the seven-time champion. “It’s always very difficult to know what is going to happen, right? I cannot look into how he [Hamilton] was operating at Mercedes, how he feels personally, what is going on also in the [Ferrari] team right now. I don’t have any information on that. The thing is, he joined a team that already has a very strong driver with Charles [Leclerc], so it’s never going to be easy to immediately go in there and start beating your team-mate who is well integrated, knows the team very well, speaks the language. But these cars can be quite complicated at times to fully understand why you’re quick or not, basically.”
Former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone didn’t mince words, warning, “If he goes to Ferrari, that would be the end of his career. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.” Yet, Ecclestone also acknowledged Verstappen’s ability to “turn a good team into a winning team,” a testament to the Dutchman’s reputation as one of the grid’s most formidable talents.
As the weekend unfolds, all eyes remain fixed on Monza’s high-speed straights and legendary corners. With qualifying and the race still to come, the margins are tighter than ever, and the championship battle is poised for another dramatic twist. Whether it’s Ferrari seeking glory at home, Red Bull looking to banish last year’s demons, or McLaren aiming to extend their dominance, the Italian Grand Prix is once again living up to its reputation for unpredictability and spectacle.
Fans can catch Saturday’s third practice and qualifying sessions, with the main event—a 72-lap battle—set for Sunday at 3 p.m. local time. As the tension mounts, one thing’s for sure: Monza has lost none of its magic, and the 2025 Italian Grand Prix is far from decided.
