George Russell came out on top in a wild second practice session at Monza, clocking a 1:22.559 to edge out a competitive field under scorching heat. The Mercedes driver held his nerve through a session packed with drama, frustration, and traffic incidents that left several drivers fuming on the radio. Russell's consistency proved crucial as the track temperature soared past 50 degrees and teams battled setup gremlins.

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Max Verstappen had a nightmare afternoon with the Red Bull, complaining almost immediately about a lack of downforce through the first sector. The four-time champion swapped his front wing early on but things didn't improve. Over the radio, Verstappen reported feeling like he was driving on ice through turns 1, 2, 4 and 5, with brake issues compounding his misery. He'd finish well down the order, a far cry from the pace he usually brings to Monza.

Kimi Antonelli, the championship leader, briefly topped the times with a 1:22.700 before being shuffled back to third. The Aston Martin driver had his own frustrations though, exploding at Gabriel Bortoleto after the Audi driver blocked him at the Parabolica. Charles Leclerc and Antonelli trading fastest laps kept the battle intense, with Leclerc eventually spinning at turn five in the final minutes, though he walked away unharmed.

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There were some odd moments in the session too. Lando Norris, fresh off back-to-back wins with McLaren, had to use the emergency exit to avoid Lance Stroll in an awkward moment. Sergio Perez finally got some track time in his Cadillac machine after missing the first session while Colton Herta, who'd crashed heavily in F2, took a brief F1 spin instead. It was the kind of session where everyone had something to complain about, but Russell kept his head and delivered when it counted.

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The timesheet reflected the competitive nature of the weekend, with Antonelli second, Leclerc third, and Lewis Hamilton fourth. Oscar Piastri, Arvid Lindblad, and a struggling Verstappen rounded out the top ten. With soft tyres having little impact on the overall order, teams will be hunting answers before Saturday's third practice session as they prepare for qualifying.

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