Lando Norris laid down an early marker at Monza as he topped Friday practice for the Italian Grand Prix, outpacing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by less than a tenth of a second. The McLaren driver, who needs to claw back points in the title fight against his team-mate Oscar Piastri, clocked the fastest lap of the day in an encouraging start to the weekend.
Norris arrives in Italy under pressure after his championship challenge took a hit in Zandvoort. A retirement in the Dutch Grand Prix allowed Piastri to extend his lead at the top of the standings to 34 points with nine races to go. For the Briton, Monza offers an opportunity to reignite his campaign—and his pace on Friday will raise hopes within the McLaren garage.
Fine Margins at the Front
Norris edged out Leclerc by just 0.083 seconds, while Williams’ Carlos Sainz impressed in third. Piastri slotted into fourth after a disrupted day, followed by Lewis Hamilton in fifth for Ferrari and Max Verstappen in sixth for Red Bull.
Hamilton will serve a five-place grid penalty on Sunday following an infringement on reconnaissance laps in the Netherlands. That means even if he qualifies strongly, his hopes of repeating past Monza heroics are dented before the race begins.
Piastri’s running was limited after McLaren junior Alex Dunne drove his car in first practice. When the Australian returned in FP2, his first flying lap was ruined by a small issue, leaving him to rely on a second effort to set his best time.
On the Edge at Monza
The Temple of Speed lived up to its name with several drivers finding the limit of grip. Norris suffered a dramatic slide at the Roggia chicane, catching the McLaren just in time to stay on track. Piastri had his own scare, running wide at the second Lesmo and scattering gravel.
The most significant incident came courtesy of Mercedes’ teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli. The Italian spun at Lesmo Two, bringing out the red flag and momentarily halting proceedings. Though Antonelli avoided damage, it was a reminder of Monza’s unforgiving nature.
McLaren Rivalry Intensifies
The intra-team battle at McLaren has become the defining storyline of the season. Piastri’s consistency, combined with Norris’ occasional misfortune, has tilted the balance in the Australian’s favour. But Norris has shown on multiple occasions that he can match, and even outpace, his younger colleague.
Friday’s showing will be a psychological boost. Not only was Norris quicker than Piastri, but he also outpaced Leclerc in front of the passionate Tifosi, who will demand a strong showing from Ferrari at their home race.
McLaren’s car looked well-suited to the high-speed demands of Monza, though questions remain about long-run pace and tyre management. With Verstappen lurking in sixth and Red Bull often finding extra speed when it matters most, the battle at the front remains finely poised.
Looking Ahead
Saturday’s qualifying promises to be another tight contest. The margins in practice suggest that one small error could shuffle the order dramatically, particularly given the slipstreaming dynamics that often define Monza sessions.
For Norris, the objective is clear: outscore Piastri and start clawing back the deficit in the championship. Leclerc and Sainz, buoyed by the support of the Italian crowd, will be desperate to spoil McLaren’s plans. And Verstappen, despite a low-key Friday, can never be discounted.
As Formula 1’s fastest circuit sets the stage, the opening act has already delivered drama. If Friday is any indication, the Italian Grand Prix could be pivotal in the unfolding battle for the world championship.
