George Russell (Mercedes) posted the quickest lap in the third and final practice session (FP3) at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza on Saturday, edging out his teammate Lewis Hamilton by a narrow margin, according to Motorsport.com. Russell’s best time of 1:19.842 placed him at the top of the session’s leaderboard, while Hamilton’s 1:19.950 kept the British driver within a whisker of the pole‑position pace.
The session, which ran from 14:00 IST to 15:30 IST, saw the Mercedes pair dominate the high‑speed circuit, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. occupying the third and fourth spots respectively. Leclerc’s best lap of 1:20.112 was just over a quarter‑second slower than Russell’s, indicating that the home team still has a solid platform but will need to extract more from their low‑downforce setup to challenge the German outfit.
Mercedes appeared to have found a sweet spot on the thin‑treaded tires, allowing both drivers to run long stints without a significant drop‑off in performance. The team’s engineers highlighted the importance of tyre management at Monza, where the combination of long straights and heavy braking zones can quickly degrade the soft compound. Russell’s consistent lap times throughout the hour‑long session suggest that the team may have solved the tyre‑wear puzzle, giving them a strategic edge for the race.
For Indian fans, the final practice provides a clear indicator of the likely grid order for Sunday’s sprint‑qualifying and the main race. Both Russell and Hamilton are expected to start from the front row, setting up a classic Mercedes showdown. The race will be broadcast live on FanCode with commentary in English and Hindi, starting at 11:30 IST. Viewers can also follow live timing on the official F1 app, which offers a dedicated Indian feed.
Looking ahead, the performance gap between Mercedes and Ferrari at Monza could shape the championship battle. Russell’s pace puts him within striking distance of the title leader, while Hamilton’s resilience keeps him in contention. Ferrari will need to improve straight‑line speed and optimise their tyre strategy if they hope to defend their home‑race honour.
Source: Motorsport.com
