The final practice session at Monza delivered everything expected from Italy’s temple of speed: massive slipstream battles, chaotic moments, and a qualifying session already shaping up to be pure drama.
FP3 at the Sharp End
Lando Norris set the pace with a 1:19.331, ahead of Leclerc, Piastri, Verstappen, Russell, Bortoleto, Hamilton, Hadjar, Antonelli, and Albon. The entire top ten was covered by less than a second, underscoring just how finely balanced qualifying will be. Norris still didn’t string together a perfect lap, suggesting McLaren may have more in reserve, while Leclerc’s second place owed a lot to a monster tow into Turn 1 and another down to the second chicane. Ferrari benefitted from slipstream games, but the sense is they haven’t unleashed everything yet, what some call “Monza mode” still hasn’t appeared.
Slipstream coordination will define qualifying, and Ferrari’s situation is complicated by Hamilton’s grid penalty. The team will almost certainly try to use him as a tow for Leclerc, though getting both cars into Q3 isn’t the given it once was. If Hamilton fails to reach the final session, Ferrari risks losing its best weapon in the fight for pole.
Lessons from FP1 and FP2
The build-up across the weekend has only reinforced how knife-edge qualifying could be. In FP1, Ferrari looked sharp with Leclerc near the front, while Alpine were mired at the back, victims of their persistent straight-line speed deficit. By FP2, Carlos Sainz kept Williams in the mix with another top-three showing, even as questions swirled around their race pace. Those earlier sessions set the tone: Ferrari strong in single-lap bursts, Williams quietly consistent, and Alpine resigned to a long weekend.
The consistency of Sainz and Albon across Friday hinted that the midfield might still spring surprises if the top teams fumble their slipstream coordination. That pressure only intensified in FP3, with everyone chasing the perfect tow.
Key FP3 Moments
The Verstappen-Ocon scrap showed just how narrow Monza really is. While it wasn’t especially dangerous, the exaggerated reactions around it contrasted with the reality: messy, not ideal, but undeniably entertaining. It was a reminder that FP3 can sometimes serve as a chaotic preview of what’s to come.
Leclerc’s oversteer moment at Parabolica was another flashpoint. The correction itself was minor, but given Ferrari’s history at that corner, it looked more dramatic than it was. It also fed into the usual Monza narrative where even small mistakes by Ferrari drivers are amplified into crisis talk.
Isack Hadjar’s P8 confirmed once again that he isn’t a disposable number two option. He continues to put up solid performances, showing he’s racing for serious points. Any suggestion that Red Bull might use him simply as a sacrificial slipstream provider ignores the fact that his long-term prospects hinge on maximizing results now, not playing wingman.
Williams, meanwhile, slid back compared to Friday. The increased tire pressures likely played a role, exposing the team’s known sensitivity in that area. Albon has consistently highlighted this weakness, and it resurfaced just when they needed clean momentum into qualifying.
The Commentary Angle
Off track, Nico Rosberg added spice to the broadcast. He corrected Crofty’s slip-ups, most notably on a Williams stat, and shut down attempts to excuse Carlos Sainz in the Lawson penalty incident. Rosberg’s blunt “rules are rules” approach came during ad breaks on Sky, meaning only those watching through F1 TV caught the full exchange. It was a reminder of how different feeds can shape the weekend’s narrative.
Setting the Stage
Taken together, FP1 showed Ferrari’s baseline pace, FP2 revealed Williams’ consistency and McLaren’s sandbagging, and FP3 confirmed that everything will come down to slipstream coordination. Chaos is almost guaranteed. We could see a rerun of Monza 2019, where no one wanted to lead and the entire grid nearly missed their laps, or a perfectly executed set of tows that reshuffle the expected order.
With McLaren still holding something back, Ferrari reliant on Hamilton for support, and Red Bull ready to capitalize, qualifying is set to be one of the most unpredictable of the season. FP3 was the final reminder: the margins are razor-thin, the slipstream is everything, and one mistake, or one perfect tow, could decide it all.