2025 Italian Grand Prix: George Russell Leads Monza Qualifying Q1

Why it matters: George Russell set the pace in the opening segment of qualifying for the 2025 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, signaling strong form for Mercedes. The session saw title contenders Lando Norris and Max Verstappen perform well, but also delivered early upsets for several teams.## The details:Russell's impressive 1:19.414 lap time led a rapidly evolving Q1 session. Max Verstappen was a close second (+0.041), followed by Lando Norris in third (+0.103). Yuki Tsunoda (+0.205) and Carlos Sainz (+0.230) rounded out the top five. Other notable performances included Fernando Alonso in sixth and Oscar Piastri in tenth.## The big picture:The session was tightly contested, with the top 15 drivers separated by just over four tenths of a second. Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton (now with Ferrari for 2025), Nico Hulkenberg, Esteban Ocon, and Alex Albon also secured their spots in Q2.## Key Eliminations:Five drivers failed to advance from Q1, marking a particularly difficult session for Racing Bulls and Alpine, both experiencing a double retirement.- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)- Franco Colapinto (Alpine)- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)For Racing Bulls, this was a stark contrast to their recent Dutch GP podium, highlighting the unpredictable nature of F1.