Ferrari Shines at Monza in Second Free Practice; Hamilton Leads Leclerc and Sainz
(From Daniele, Monza) Ferrari delivered a strong performance at their home Grand Prix, bouncing back from a challenging Friday in the Netherlands with a promising start to the Italian Grand Prix weekend in the second free practice session.
Monza was alight with red as Ferrari showed pace in FP2: Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheets, edging out Charles Leclerc, who appeared agreeable pushing when needed. This positive showing is a crucial boost for the team, especially as Leclerc faces a five-place grid penalty regardless of qualifying results. The team,sporting a special livery in honour of Niki Lauda,sees this home race as a vital chance to turn around a challenging season,mirroring last year’s unexpected victory for Leclerc.
The track characteristics favor high speed and overtaking, making it theoretically less suited to McLaren. However, McLaren has demonstrated the ability to be competitive on any circuit. Lando norris struggled in the papaya team’s session, experiencing issues with car setup and grip, leading to excursions on the gravel and a sixth-place finish. Formula 2 driver Alex Dunne also had seat time in the other McLaren.
The Irish driver, in his 16th time on track, focused on gaining experience rather than pushing for a fast lap. carlos sainz, a former Ferrari driver and fan favorite, secured third position, capitalizing on the speed potential of his Williams car. Kimi Antonelli delivered a strong recovery to fifth, despite a brief track excursion, finding a good rhythm. George russell’s session was cut short by a late reliability issue. Max Verstappen finished fourth, half a second off the pace, but remains a threat if he can optimize his car’s setup to address the low grip he reported. Max complained of the very little adherence.