Lewis Hamilton set the pace in the first free practice session of the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, marking his debut with Ferrari.
The British driver, who has described his start with the team as an “emotional rollercoaster”, will face a challenge in the weekend’s race. This is due to a five-place grid penalty, imposed for a yellow flag infringement in the previous round in the Netherlands.
Despite the penalty, Ferrari’s performance in the first practice session at the “Temple of Speed” offers hope to the seven-time world champion.
Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s teammate, placed second, just 0.169 seconds behind the leader, solidifying Ferrari’s superiority in their home race.
Carlos Sainz, from Williams, finished third, 0.533 seconds behind Hamilton, followed by Max Verstappen from Red Bull in fourth position.
Kimi Antonelli, the local favorite, secured fifth place in his Mercedes, surpassing Lando Norris.
George Russell suffered an engine failure, which interrupted the session a few minutes before its end.
