George Russell fastest in Italian Grand Prix final practice at Monza

George Russell was fastest in final practice for the Italian Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton at Monza. Max VerstappenMax VerstappenRed Bull · Netherlands · Driver6th POS127 PTS and championship leader Kimi Antonelli completed the top four, with Russell's Mercedes at the head of the timesheet.

The time was set in the third and final practice session of the weekend. Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, ended the running second in the Ferrari, while Verstappen and Antonelli were third and fourth respectively. The opening quarter of the session was calm, and the final classification left Mercedes top.

The result means Mercedes will head into the next phase of the weekend with the fastest car from practice. Russell's place at the top came ahead of a Ferrari driven by Hamilton, while Verstappen and Antonelli filled the two positions behind them.

2026

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POS

6th

PTS

127

WINS

0

PODIUMS

5

Season 2026

Final practice top four

Liauzh · CC BY-SA 4.0

• George Russell — Mercedes
• Lewis Hamilton — Ferrari
• Max Verstappen — third
• Kimi Antonelli — fourth

Russell's position gives Mercedes a useful final reference point before the running that decides the grid. The circuit was hot, and the session ended the weekend's practice programme with the championship leader inside the leading group.

Why the result matters

Liauzh · CC BY-SA 4.0

Practice classifications always need care in Formula 1Formula 1 World ChampionshipInternational because fuel loads, engine modes and tyre choices are not published. A team can appear higher or lower than its true position once the running for the grid begins. Even so, being fastest in the final practice session is a better starting point than being anywhere else, and it gives Russell an early edge in the Monza weekend competition.

Antonelli's place in the top four is notable because he is the championship leader. Finishing fourth in the same session as Russell, Hamilton and Verstappen keeps him in the leading group, although the timesheet does not show whether any of the four was pushing at the same level.

What is not yet known

The gaps between the top four have not been made public. Russell's margin over Hamilton is unknown, as is the distance to Verstappen and Antonelli, and no team has explained the fuel loads or engine settings behind its fastest laps.

The conditions in which each quick time was set are also unclear. Traffic, changes in track temperature and the timing of a lap can all affect a practice result, and final practice often leaves as many questions as it answers. That is why the next running at Monza will be the real test of Russell's place at the top.