After a week away from racing, Formula 1 returned to action at Monza with temperatures climbing into the mid-30s. The Italian Grand Prix has been declared a heat-hazard race, with Sunday’s race expected to see temperatures exceed 31C.

Leclerc Sets the Pace

The opening stages saw the times tumble quickly as drivers explored Monza’s low-drag configuration. Leclerc was among the first to attract a huge response from the tifosi, briefly taking top spot with a 1:26.873 before George Russell moved ahead with a 1:25.259.

Liam Lawson then went fastest on the soft tyre, posting a 1:24.383, before Hamilton produced one of the early surprises by taking his Ferrari to the top on hard tyres with a 1:24.291. Lando Norris subsequently moved into the 1:24s on mediums, but Russell responded with a 1:23.802 to reclaim first place.

Herta Brings Out the Red Flag

The session was interrupted around 20 minutes in when Colton Herta brought his Cadillac to a halt just beyond Turn 5. The American rookie, one of four rookie drivers making an FP1 appearance, appeared to suffer a mechanical issue and was unable to get the car moving. Marshals attempted to push the Cadillac clear, but the car appeared to be stuck in gear, forcing the session to be red flagged.

Herta’s stoppage cost the field around five minutes of running, although the drivers quickly returned to the circuit once the session resumed. The rookie programme also saw Ayumu Iwasa take Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, Luke Browning replace Alex Albon at Williams and Paul Aron step into Pierre Gasly’s Alpine.

Antonelli Has a Moment

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli endured a more eventful session than he would have wanted. The young Italian, chasing history at his home race, had a moment on track during FP1, running into the gravel at the Turn 1 chicane. Norris and Carlos Sainz followed with similar off-track excursions as several drivers pushed the limits around the opening complex. Fernando Alonso and Oliver Bearman also had moments in the gravel, while Hamilton later ran wide at the second chicane.

Leclerc ultimately remained on top of the timing sheets, completing 26 laps, while continuing to use a set of used medium tyres. Hamilton finished second, just under two tenths behind his team-mate, with Russell third and Lawson fourth.

It was an encouraging opening session for Ferrari, whose low-drag setup appeared well suited to Monza’s long straights. With both Leclerc and Hamilton inside the top three and the tifosi already roaring their approval, the Scuderia has made a strong start to its home weekend.