F1 Italian Grand Prix: Follow the Action Live from Monza as Final Practice Unfolds

As the Italian Grand Prix weekend continues at Monza, Free Practice 3 promises to be an exciting session with drivers fine-tuning their setups for qualifying. Max Verstappen's confidence is evident as he continues to run on medium tires, suggesting he's in no rush to switch to softs for a headline time. Meanwhile, Esteban Ocon sets a new personal best, albeit only good enough for 17th place, still ahead of his teammate Pierre Gasly.

Albon Shines as Teams Test Different Strategies

Alexander Albon impresses by storming to the top spot with a time of 1m20.596s. The Williams team sees Franco Colapinto continuing to acclimate to the car vacated by Logan Sargeant, keeping things clean after yesterday's off-track excursion. Soft tire runs for Albon and Nico Hulkenberg see them nestling in the tail end of the top 10, splitting the Red Bulls of Verstappen and Perez, who set their laps earlier on mediums.

Ferrari and Mercedes Show Promising Pace

Charles Leclerc elbows his way to the top of the charts on soft tires, narrowly outpacing George Russell's medium-tire run. The close competition is evident with just 0.081s separating the top four drivers. Russell, Sainz, Hamilton, and Norris are all in the mix, showcasing the tight battle at the front.

Verstappen's Soft Tire Run Awaited

All eyes are on Max Verstappen as he has yet to set a lap on soft tires, which he'll use for qualifying. Currently sitting sixth with his best time on mediums, his performance on the softs will be crucial to watch as the session progresses.

Ferrari's Home Race Hopes

Carlos Sainz, in his final Monza outing for Ferrari, shows strong pace as he briefly tops the timesheets. The partisan home crowd eagerly anticipates a strong showing from the Scuderia, with both Sainz and Leclerc out on soft tires to the delight of the tifosi.

Session Highlights and Context

As the session unfolds, drivers continue to push the limits, with Lewis Hamilton seen hammering the kerbs at the first chicane. Oscar Piastri becomes the first to dip into the 1m20s bracket, while teams experiment with different tire compounds. The newly resurfaced track adds an extra element of challenge as drivers and teams seek to optimize their setups for qualifying and the race ahead.