Final Practice at Monza: Russell Leads, Hamilton Spots Ferrari Weakness
Summary
George Russell set Friday's pace at Monza; Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari is losing six tenths on straights. Final practice is underway before qualifying, with title leader Antonelli starting from the back.
George Russell heads into the third and final practice at Monza as the driver to beat. The Mercedes driver topped FP2 with a 1:22.559, a tenth clear of Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli. Lando Norris was four tenths back and admitted McLaren is “struggling for pace.”
Why it matters:
Monza rewards straight-line speed, and FP3 is the last setup chance before qualifying. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli will start Sunday from the back after an engine penalty.
The details:
- Russell’s FP2 time of 1:22.559 edged Leclerc and Antonelli by a tenth.
- Max Verstappen was only ninth, eight-tenths off, and complained about the RB22 over team radio.
- Antonelli, the home favourite, leads the title race by 59 points over Russell and Lewis Hamilton. Norris, winner of the last two races, is 83 points behind.
- Hamilton says Ferrari’s weakness is straight-line speed: “I was losing something like six tenths to George just in the straights.” He called the car “really, really hard to pull a lap out of” and said Ferrari may revert changes.
What's next:
Qualifying will show whether Mercedes can convert Friday pace into pole, if Ferrari can fix its balance, and if Verstappen can find more from the RB22. Antonelli’s recovery drive is Sunday’s big storyline.
Original Article :https://www.gpblog.com/en/live/f1-live-follow-fp3-of-the-italian-grand-prix-here
