Leclerc leads Ferrari one-two in Italian GP FP1

Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in the opening practice session for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, leading a Ferrari one-two on home soil. The Monegasque driver clocked a 1 minute 23.008 seconds lap on medium tires, edging out teammate Lewis Hamilton by 0.173 seconds. George Russell secured third place for Mercedes, 0.304 seconds behind Leclerc. The session took place under sweltering conditions, with track temperatures soaring and the FIA issuing a heat hazard warning for the weekend. Drivers faced a choice between wearing cooling vests or adding ballast to their cars due to the oppressive heat. Ferrari arrived at their home circuit with a special throwback livery celebrating Michael Schumacher's first season with the team in 1996, alongside a significant package of technical upgrades, including a revised low-drag rear wing and a second permitted power unit upgrade of the season. The practice session was interrupted by a red flag when Colton Herta's Cadillac came to a stop on track with a suspected hydraulic issue. The session resumed with 34 minutes remaining. Four rookie drivers participated in the session as teams fulfilled mandatory run obligations.