Russell leads Hamilton in final Italian GP practice

George Russell controlled the final practice session at the Italian Grand Prix ahead of Ferrari favorite Lewis Hamilton

Despite a late entry into the session, Russell never looked in doubt for top spot, finding time with every flying lap on soft tires until his position was unimpeachable with a benchmark of 1m 22.219s.

Mercedes also practiced its slipstream process during the session, with Kimi Antonelli successfully timing his run to tow Russell through the first sector — though the Briton’s best lap did not benefit from his teammate’s help.

The only flaw in his session was Mercedes sending him out too late to partake in the post-session practice starts. Russell arrived at the end of pit lane only to see the red lights flashing to indicate the end of the hour, forcing him to park and wait for his mechanics to wheel his car back to the garage.

Hamilton was late in stringing together a competitive lap but eventually hauled himself to within 0.226s for Ferrari.

More notable, though, was a bizarre incident with Max Verstappen late in the session, when both were preparing for a final flying lap.

Verstappen was ahead heading into Parabolica, but Hamilton pounced down the inside to take track position as the Dutchman prepared his tires.

They ran side by side down the front straight, Verstappen gesticulating to his 2021 title rival, until the Ferrari’s better straight-line speed pulled the Englishman ahead.

Verstappen, however, hit the brakes much later, and the two almost made contact in the middle of the first corner before Hamilton bailed out, and both drivers abandoned their laps.

“He caused that,” Verstappen radioed, while Hamilton said: “I got blocked by Max.”

Verstappen ended the session third, 0.35s off the pace and with the fastest final sector of the hour.

Antonelli, who will start the race last with an engine penalty and thus has devoted limited focus to single-lap pace, was 0.361s off top spot in fourth.

Lando Norris was fifth for McLaren by 0.406s off the pace, roughly as distant as he had been on Friday, though he ended the session with the quickest middle sector, the McLaren performing well through the high-speed Lesmo corners.

Charles Leclerc struggled to string together a clean lap, leaving him sixth and 0.489s in the second Ferrari.

Arvid Lindblad was impressive for Racing Bulls in seventh, 0.505s off the pace and 0.049s ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, the Australian having been baulked during his flying laps — including once by Russell — before setting his quickest time with six-lap-old rubber.

Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto completed the top 10, 0.679s and 0.882s off the pace respectively.

Nico Hulkenberg was 11th ahead of Liam Lawson, Gabriel Bortoleto and Oliver Bearman.

Yuki Tsunoda was 15th and 1.598s off the pace in the second Racing Bulls car but ahead of Carlos Sainz, Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon.

Fernando Alonso was 19th for Aston Martin ahead of Cadillac duo Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, while Lance Stroll completed the order more than half a second off the back of the pack.

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