P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lando Norris kept McLaren on top in final practice for the 2025 Italian Grand Prix, but the relative pace of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull suggests Formula 1 is shaping up for a tight pole fight in qualifying later
Lando Norris topped the final practice for the 2025 Italian Grand Prix, setting the pace for McLaren, with Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen close behind, promising a tight pole fight in the upcoming qualifying session at Monza.
Despite Norris’ early summit, Leclerc and Verstappen showed strong pace after the checkered flag fell, with Ferrari excelling in straightline speed and McLaren shining in the medium/high-speed corners.
While Norris led with a 1m19.331s lap, Leclerc trailed just 0.021s behind, and Oscar Piastri secured the third spot, 0.165s off Norris.
Verstappen managed fourth, narrowly missing out on a top-three finish, with George Russell impressively recovering to fifth for Mercedes and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto securing the sixth-fastest time for Sauber.
The field remains highly competitive, with the top 10 separated by less than four tenths of a second, showcasing a close battle ahead of the qualifying session and race.
