Italian GP: Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc encouraged by Ferrari Monza Pace while the rivals F1 challenge McLaren | F1 News
Lando Norris admitted that the rivals of McLaren were “just a little close to my taste” in Monza with the dominant force of F1 2025 appearing for a greater challenge of several teams – including the favorites of the Ferrari house – at the Italian Grand Prix of this weekend.
On Friday, Norris exceeded two training times at Monza at MONZA at high speed, but the advantage of McLaren on the ground was far from being as apparent as proven in Twisty Zandvoort last week.
Charles Leclerc de Ferrari – whose teammate Lewis Hamilton had exceeded a two for the team first training – and Carlos Sainz in an impressive Williams ended both in a tenth of the second of Norris.
The leader of the Oscar Piastri Fourth, Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen championship were less than 0.2 s from the top of the time with the rest of the first 10.4 s.
This has led Norris, who regularly played the greatest advantages of McLaren Friday this season, in Imip: “Normally, at this stage, we have a second gap on everyone, but for the moment, it’s just a little close to my taste per minute.”
He then added: “This is the full level of support for Zandvoort.
“In Zandvoort, we were easily the fastest and it was quite astonishing, here it is quite the opposite. Not a surprise, that’s probably what we expected, but I really think that we do not play quite at the same level in these low force conditions that we do it when we are a strong blow.
“Competitors catch up, it seems a little closer and it makes our life a little more delicate. But I think we are always in a reasonable pace, a few things to improve and we will be a little better.”
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Lando Norris says that if he loses the championship because of the points he lost to the Dutch GP after a DNF, he would move on and try to do better next season
Piastri, who leads Norris 34 points in the classification after retirement linked to the British car last Sunday, admitted that he was surprised by the proximity of the field
“A little, yes,” he said. “I think it was also who was in the mixture was a bit surprised. The Williams look strong in both sessions, so let’s see if they are still there tomorrow but I think it’s going to be a near weekend.”
McLaren won the all-but three of the first 15 grand prices of this season, including the last five games in a row.
Penalized Hamilton always “ optimist ” because Leclerc sees the chance of pole
As is often the case on their home track, Ferrari appears just in the front hunting when they tried to win consecutive victories in Monza for their passionate fans base after the triumph of Leclerc in 2024 – and a first success of the Grand Prix of 2025.
The SF-25 immediately looked quickly in the conditions of strengthening the bottom to bottom of Monza, Hamilton marking his Italian arch GP for the home team by directing Leclerc at the top of the practice of the practice of the practice.
The Briton, who carries a five-seat grid penalty until Saturday, slipped to the fifth of the afternoon but feels that he knows where he was wrong during the installation between the sessions.
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Karun Chandhok of Sky Sports is in the Skypad to explain why Lewis Hamilton will serve a five-seat grid penalty from the previous race in Zandvoort during his first Monza weekend as a Ferrari pilot
“P1 was a good session, P2, we made changes and the car was a bit worse. The right thing is that we can go back,” he said.
“P1 was very strong and P2 was much more difficult, but it is better to have it in P2 and learn about it, rather than P3.
“Many positive points to take today and we will do a little work overnight and I hope that tomorrow we can be better.”
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After practice at the Italian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton de Ferrari says that driving for Ferrari in Monza is all that I thought it would be and more ”
Leclerc, who beat the McLarens in a Ferrari tactical triumph last year, described their car as “delicate but fast”.
And asked him if he thought he could face pole, Leclerc replied: “For the moment, I think it’s on the cards, but I don’t know how much Red Bull and McLaren have further pushed.
“I think they have more than what we have in the pocket. We still have to improve the car but, if we do it, I think there may be.”
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Karun Chandhok of Sky Sports is in the Skypad to explain why Charles Leclerc was not penalized to be exceeded under a red flag in FP1 of the Italian Grand Prix
The sanction of Hamilton for a violation of yellow flags before the race in Zandvoort already excludes it from taking the post and means that it will start the race from Sunday to more than sixth position.
But he still sees reasons of encouragement despite the apparent proximity of the field.
“It will be difficult to exceed because we are all so close in the top 15,” added Hamilton.
“I feel optimistic, I always feel like I could go ahead and I was much happier with the car today, so I hope it continues tomorrow.”
Italian Sky Sports F1 schedule
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Return to some of the most dramatic moments that took place at the Italian Grand Prix
Saturday September 6
8:10 am: Sprint F3
11:15 am: The Italian Grand Prix practices three (the session starts at 11:30 am)
1:10 p.m.: F2 Sprint
2:15 p.m.: Accumulation of qualification of the Italian Grand Prix
3 p.m.: Qualification of the Italian Grand Prix *
5 p.m.: Ted’s qualification book
Sunday September 7
7:10 am: F3 functionality breed
8:40 am: F2 functionality breed
10:40 am: Porsche Supercup Race
12:30 p.m.: Grand Prix Sunday: accumulation of Italian GP
2 p.m.: The Italian Grand Prix *
4 p.m.: Dramié drape: Italian GP reaction
5 p.m.: Ted’s notebook
* Also on the main event of Sky Sports
The European Formula 1 season ends with the Italian Grand Prix – look all the weekend of Monza live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday. Stream Sky Sports with now – no contracts, cancel at any time
