#F1 #Italian GP #FP3: @GeorgeRussell63 quickest ahead of @LewisHamilton, @Max33Verstappen.
George Russell, #63, Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team, F1 W17, Free Practice 3, Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio D'Italia 2026, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy. Image credit to Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images. Russell Italian GP FP3, 2026 Italian GP FP3, F1 Italian GP FP3 Results. 2026 Formula 1 Italian GP FP3 Results.
Russell Italian GP FP3 – Mercedes’ George Russell ended the final practice session on top at the Italian GP ahead of Ferrari’s Sir Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who completed the top three with both 2021 title-rivals having a wheel-to-wheel battle at the end.
Russell set the session-topping benchmark on the C5 red side-wall softer compounds with a 1:22.219 and was 0.226 clear of Hamilton whilst Verstappen was a further 0.350 adrift of the Mercedes driver in third.
Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto was the first to venture out on the Autodromo Nazionale Monza on a set of the C4 yellow-marked medium rubber.
The Brazilian was joined by team-mate Nico Hulkenberg also on the C4’s.
Both Bortoleto and Hulkenberg returned back to the pits whilst Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly entered the track on a set of the mediums.
Colapinto suffered a lock-up at the Variante Del Rettifilo Chicane and set a 2:09.407, which was beaten by team-mate Gasly’s 1:25.349 effort.
Williams’ Carlos Sainz on the C5’s slotted into second posting a 1:25.482 to be 0.133 seconds off Gasly.
Colapinto improved to a 1:24.733 as his team-mate Gasly also done the same at the top setting a 1:23.878.
Sainz was next on another flyer on the softer rubber and jumped to second on a 1:24.642 whilst Haas’s Oliver Bearman with the upgraded Ferrari power-unit moved into fourth on a 1:24.922.
Red Bull’s Liam Lawson slotted into second place with a 1:24.240 with the best sector three time whilst Gasly improved at the head of a pile on a 1:23.875.
Colapinto pushed his A526 entry to the top pipping his team-mate by 0.109 seconds – the Argentine posted a 1:23.766 effort.
Lawson followed and the Kiwi put his RB22 entry up into second on a 1:23.769 and a very slim 0.003 seconds adrift of Colapinto’s benchmark.
Championship leader Antonelli went quickest on a 1:23.032 with two purple sectors as Verstappen slotted into second on a 1:23.467.
Leclerc then split both Antonelli and Verstappen into second posting a 1:23.250 with three personal bests efforts as the session approached the 20th-minute mark.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was next, and the Australian dipped his left wheels at the Variante Della Roggia Chicane but continued on his hot-lap and with three personal bests moved into seventh overall on a 1:23.878,
The yellow flags were waved as Lawson had a moment, losing the rear into the Variante Del Rettifilo Chicane and spinning around. The Kiwi had small flat-spots on those tyres, but they could be driveable if he could handle the vibrations.
The Red Bull driver took a little too much kerb, and with perhaps some cooler tyres – an anomaly in these sweltering temperatures.
Leclerc lost his lap-time as Antonelli was unable to improve on his next timed tour.
Reigning world champion Norris was up into fourth on a 1:23.65 as Hamilton slotted behind with a 1:23.683 on the softs.
Gasly put his Alpine up into second with a 1:23.416, but only briefly as Leclerc moved up into second to be 0.239 off Antonelli’s benchmark whilst Russell put his Silver Arrow into fourth on a 1:23.508.
Verstappen improved on his time but remained in fourth with his 1:23.455 effort as Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad on the C5’s with three personal bests took sixth in the order posting a 1:23.641.
Leclerc improved on his time once more, setting a 1:23.250 to end up 0.218 seconds off Antonelli’s best time.
Bortoleto setting three personal bests moved to sixth best on a 1:23.561 on the C4 mediums and was 0.529 adrift of Antonelli’s best time.
Verstappen improved with to personal bests to go second on a 1:23.100 to be 0.068 off Antonelli as Hamilton slotted behind in third with a 1:23.111 with the best final sector.
Russell pushed his F1 W17 up to the top of the pile with a purple sector one and two personal bests to be 0.345 seconds clear of team-mate Antonelli – the Briton’s time was a 1:22.687 on the softer compounds with less than 25 minutes remaining.
Leclerc was next and with two personal bests jumped to third overall setting a 1:23.065 to be 0.378 seconds off Russell’s time.
Hamilton on his flyer with two personal bests pipped his team-mate into third posting a 1:23.040 whilst Piastri also on two PB’s was up to sixth on a 1:23.342 and was 0.655 off Russell’s benchmark.
Leclerc with a personal best opening sector split the two Mercedes by going second with a 1:22.913 effort with less than 20 minutes on the clock.
Majority of the field at this stage were in the pits and adjusting their setups and putting on another set of the softer rubber to do another qualifying simulation stint.
Russell, Antonelli and Verstappen all emerged on another set of the C5’s.
Russell with the best middle sector improved at the top on a 1:22.463 as Verstappen moved into second place with a purple final sector and setting a 1:22.790 to end up 0.327 seconds off the Briton.
Championship leader Antonelli was up next on his flying lap and the Italian with two personal bests slotted in behind his team-mate Russell and 0.233 seconds off with his 1:22.696 effort.
Lindblad with two personal bests and a purple sector three jumped to third with a 1:22.274 with Gasly and Colapinto both ending up seventh and eighth with their 1:23.096 and 1:23.101 efforts respectively.
Red Bulls’ Lawson was next on his hot-lap and the Kiwi with two personal bests could not improve and remained in 13th and Leclerc with two personal bests was up into third on a 1:22.708.
Hungarian and Dutch GP winner Norris with three personal bests moved into fifth with a 1:22.774 effort and was 0.311 off fellow British-compatriot Russell’s benchmark.
Antonelli with two personal best efforts improved with a 1:22.580 to be 0.561 off team-mate Russell.
Hamilton moved into second place on a 1:22.445 with the best sector one time whilst Verstappen slotted in behind the Briton in third setting a 1:22.569.
Lindblad with a personal best middle sector moved into seventh place setting a 1:22.724.
With less than a minute to go the entire field bar Russell, Antonelli, Perez and Stroll were out on track to do one final flyer.
Both 2021 title rivals Verstappen and Hamilton had a wheel-to-wheel battle down the main-straight into turn one.
Verstappen overtook Hamilton into the Variante Del Rettifilo as Hamilton went into the run-off area.
Both drivers ran through La Curva Grande, and the duo had to back off their flying tours.
Hamilton and Verstappen are currently under investigation by the stewards.
Leclerc abandoned his flyer, whilst Piastri did not improve on his hot-lap.
The session ended with Russell on top with Hamilton second and Verstappen completing the top three.
Championship leader Antonelli was fourth and ahead of reigning World Champion Norris who took fifth and Leclerc who placed sixth in the upgraded Ferrari.
Lindblad followed in seventh and in-front of Piastri who ended FP3 eighth.
Alpine pairing Gasly and Colapinto rounded out the top ten.
You can see the full Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio D’Italia 2026 Free Practice 3 Results Classification at the link: FORMULA 1 PIRELLI GRAN PREMIO D’ITALIA 2026 – PRACTICE 3
#F1 #ItalianGP #FP2: @GeorgeRussell63 quickest ahead of @CharlesLeclerc, #Antonelli.
@CharlesLeclerc heads @ScuderiaFerrariHP 1-2 in #ItalianGP FP1. #F1
#F1 @PirelliF1 #ItalianGP 2026 Preview.
