Russell hits back for Mercedes in Monza practice

MONZA: Charles Leclerc claimed the top spot in Friday's opening practice at the Italian Grand Prix, setting a blistering fastest lap of one minute and 23.008 seconds. His Ferrari teammate, Lewis Hamilton, followed closely in second place, with George Russell of Mercedes trailing by three-tenths of a second in third. Championship leader Kimi Antolinli rounded out the top five for Mercedes, while McLaren's world champion Lando Norris and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri finished fourth and sixth respectively.

Ferrari's impressive performance, powered by upgraded engines, thrilled the home crowd at the historic high-speed circuit. Hamilton acknowledged that he is currently 59 points behind the young Italian, Charles Leclerc, in the title race, and emphasized the importance of securing a high-scoring finish to narrow the gap. Four rookies made their Grand Prix debut in the session: Ayuma Iwasa filled in for Max Verstappen at Red Bull, Luke Browning replaced Alex Albon at Williams, Paul Aron took over for Pierre Gasly at Alpine, and Colton Herta substituted Sergio Perez at Cadillac.

Following the practice session, the International Court of Appeal announced its decision regarding the Monaco Grand Prix, overturning the original result. This outcome led to a reshuffling of positions, with Pierre Gasly, who had originally finished third, receiving penalties and being demoted to seventh place.