> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.the-race.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Everything you need to know about Italian GP FP2 - URL: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mercedes-leads-ferrari-f1-2026-italian-gp-what-you-need-to-know/ - Published: 2026-09-04T15:15:55.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-04T15:15:55.000Z - Description: George Russell disappointed the Ferrari-supporting F1 crowd by setting the pace in FP2 at the Italian GP, ahead of Charles Leclerc - Author: Jack Benyon - Tags: Formula 1, #italian-grand-prix, #george-russell, #mercedes, #secondary_feature_2 George Russell disappointed the Ferrari-supporting home crowd at Monza on Friday by setting the pace in second Italian Grand Prix practice, with Charles Leclerc demoted to second after setting the pace in FP1. The two Mercedes drivers duked it out almost unchallenged early on for the top times, with Russell seemingly holding the edge over his championship-leading team-mate Kimi Antonelli - who will start at the back of the grid on Sunday for engine-change penalties. After successful early running on the hard tyre, Russell topped the order on two consecutive soft-tyre runs, boosted by Antonelli catching an Audi at Parabolica at the end of his first proper flying lap. Russell also had a worry, ending the session with a suspicious suspension vibration he cautioned the team to look at. Leclerc did his best to repeat his FP1-topping efforts, and did split the Mercedes with a soft run with just over 13 minutes to go in the session, well after Mercedes had switched to longer running. Leclerc's huge spin at the Variante della Roggia chicane with just under 10 minutes to go was a blemish on a mostly clean session for the grid. The other major incident impacted the winner of the last two grands prix, Lando Norris, who ended up on the grass trying to avoid Lance Stroll's Aston Martin at Turn 1 in an incident near the start of the session that could have been much worse. In line with recent form, Norris, in fourth, had the measure of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri. The pair had an intriguing last 10 minutes of the session where they appeared to simulate race conditions by running very close to each other over a lengthy period. Lewis Hamilton split the McLarens in fifth and appeared a step behind Ferrari team-mate Leclerc's pace despite being in a similar window in FP1, which could of course come from run plans and fuel loads. Arvid Lindblad spent much of the first half of the session in the top three and ended up heading the midfield impressively in seventh for Racing Bulls, ahead of Ollie Bearman. Bearman is the one Haas driver with the upgraded Ferrari power unit this weekend, as Esteban Ocon - 18th in FP2 - has been favoured for other upgrades in recent races and there was only one engine available. Combined with an aero upgrade package, Haas will hope to have found an answer for its awful run of form, having failed to score at the previous six grands prix. Max Verstappen was even more annoyed on the radio than usual in FP2, his first session of the Monza weekend as Ayumu Iwasa took over his car in FP1. First he complained of a total lack of downforce, which led to a front wing change, then of no grip in slow-speed corners, and then his brakes weren't working. Later in the session Verstappen reported the car was "jumping" on the front axle, complaining of bouncing. He finished behind Bearman in ninth, ahead of the second Racing Bulls of Yuki Tsunoda - making a second appearance in a row in place of Liam Lawson, who is substituting for the injured Isack Hadjar at Red Bull. Lawson was 12th, behind Franco Colapinto in the best of the Alpines. Colapinto has the Alpine upgrade for the first time this weekend and beat his team-mate with it in FP2\. He narrowly avoided a massive crash late in the session after finding the gravel at the exit of Ascari. ## FP2 times 1 George Russell (Mercedes) 1m22.559s 2 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.120s 3 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.141s 4 Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.384s 5 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.457s 6 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.469s 7 Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +0.790s 8 Ollie Bearman (Haas) +0.811s 9 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.818s 10 Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) +0.896s 11 Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +1.060s 12 Liam Lawson (Red Bull) +1.101s 13 Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) +1.173s 14 Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1.214s 15 Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) +1.217s 16 Alex Albon (Williams) +1.294s 17 Carlos Sainz (Williams) +1.341s 18 Esteban Ocon (Haas) +1.848s 19 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +2.468s 20 Sergio Perez (Cadillac) +2.523s 21 Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) +2.590s 22 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +2.694s