Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the pace in the opening practice session for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, finishing 0.173 seconds ahead of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes driver George Russell secured third place on the timesheets.
Liam Lawson, substituting for the injured Isack Hadjar at Red Bull, claimed fourth position, placing above championship leader Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli, who leads Hamilton and Russell by 59 points in the drivers' championship, was 0.636 seconds off Leclerc's best time and will start Sunday's race from the back of the grid due to a power unit penalty.
The session, held in hot conditions, was briefly red-flagged when rookie Colton Herta, driving for Cadillac in place of Sergio Perez, stopped on track with a hydraulic issue. McLaren's Lando Norris was sixth quickest, despite an excursion across the gravel at Turn One.
In other news, McLaren and Red Bull have successfully appealed the outcome of the Monaco Grand Prix. This decision overturns multiple incorrect pit-lane speeding penalties, meaning Alpine's Pierre Gasly loses the podium finish he had been awarded.