Lewis Hamilton led a Ferrari one-two on home soil in opening practice for Formula 1’s Italian Grand Prix.
Ferrari is hoping to repeat its 2024 victory this weekend, which would provide the perfect bounce-back after a disastrous double DNF at Zandvoort.
Hamilton already started this weekend on the back foot with a five-place grid penalty issued to him for a pre-race infringement at Zandvoort.
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He said on Thursday that he’d be open to sacrificing an optimal Q3 if necessary to help Leclerc get pole, given Hamilton has a penalty.
But the Ferraris started strongly on Friday with Hamilton topping the session on a 1m20.117s, 0.169s faster than team-mate Leclerc.
Leclerc was investigated for passing Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber under the sole red flag of FP1, but it was quickly decided that no further action was warranted.
That red flag was necessitated by Isack Hadjar running his Racing Bulls into the gravel at the Ascari chicane, dragging the gravel onto the track, which needed clearing.
Thereafter, first Leclerc, then Hamilton sent Ferrari to the top of the timesheets, with Carlos Sainz’s Williams a strong third.
Williams appears to be the midfield team most likely to trouble F1’s top four teams this weekend, with strong pace shown throughout FP1.
Max Verstappen’s Red Bull was fourth ahead of Kimi Antonelli, one year on from making his (brief) FP1 debut at Monza last year.
Lando Norris was sixth ahead of Alex Albon and George Russell, whose Mercedes ground to a halt just before the second chicane.
Is that F1 podium finisher Isack Hadjar?! 😄 pic.twitter.com/jtglWuon6X
— The Race (@wearetherace) September 5, 2025
The top 10 was completed by Fernando Alonso and Hadjar, who recovered after his off at Ascari to place 10th.
There were two FP1-only rookies in the session, Alex Dunne (McLaren, in for Oscar Piastri) and Paul Aron (Alpine, in for Franco Colapinto).
Dunne had his soft tyre run compromised by traffic, ultimately ending up 16th fastest, half a second off Norris, while Aron was slowest of all, half a second slower than Pierre Gasly via a spin at Turn 4, which he recovered from.
Result
1 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
2 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
3 Carlos Sainz (Williams)
4 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
5 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
6 Lando Norris (McLaren)
7 Alex Albon (Williams)
8 George Russell (Mercedes)
9 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
10 Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
11 Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
12 Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
13 Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
14 Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
15 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
16 Alex Dunne (McLaren)
17 Esteban Ocon (Haas)
18 Pierre Gasly (Alpine
19 Ollie Bearman (Haas)
20 Paul Aron (Alpine)
