F1 returns to the home of Ferrari, Monza, for the Italian Grand Prix and round 16 of the 2025 season this weekend.
Oscar Piastri won last time out in Zandvoort in what could be a season-defining moment in the world championship, with Lando Norris retiring from second place due to a mechanical issue. As a result, the Australian holds a healthy 34-point lead over his McLaren teammate with just nine races to go.
Meanwhile, Ferrari endured a Dutch Grand Prix to forget with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc crashing out. Both drivers will be looking to bounce back at the Scuderia’s home track, where the Monegasque won in memorable scenes last year.
However, Hamilton will have a five-place grid penalty to contend with for Sunday’s race due to a yellow-flag infringement prior to the race in Zandvoort. Elsewhere, Max Verstappen finished second at his home race and will be eyeing another podium in northern Italy.
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F1 ITALIAN GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- Round 16 of the 2025 F1 season takes place in Monza
- Qualifying is at 3pm (BST)
- Lando Norris quickest in FP3; Leclerc 2nd; Piastri 3rd
- Oscar Piastri leads the world championship by 34 points
- READ: Meet the luckless F2 champions unable to land an F1 seat
What time is qualifying on Saturday?
Friday 5 September 2025 15:40
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Kieran Jackson
After FP3 at 11:30am this morning, qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza takes place at 3pm (BST).
Monaco signs contract extension with F1 until 2035
14:06
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Kieran Jackson
F1 has announced a contract extension with the Monaco Grand Prix until 2035 - a four-year extension beyond the original 2031 agreement.
“The streets of Monaco have been echoing with the sound of Formula 1 since the earliest days of the sport, so I’m delighted to announce the extension of this fantastic event to 2035,” said F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
“It is an iconic race that is loved by all drivers and fans, with a unique vibe thanks to its location on the world’s most glamorous principality.”
READ: Lewis Hamilton looks to evoke spirit of Niki Lauda as he eyes Monza spark
13:55
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Kieran Jackson
By Kieran Jackson in Monza
As ever in Monza, Ferrari’s scarlet-fuelled extravaganza which comes to town every September, the racing team of Italy are doing things a little bit differently. No stranger to audacious liveries and race suits, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will be sporting a flick of white on their cars and sea blue on their t-shirts over the next three days.
And in a remarkable turn of fate, this Sunday will be 50 years to the day since Niki Lauda claimed his first F1 world championship. Decked in Ferrari colours, the Austrian legend clinched the drivers’ crown at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza on Sunday 7 September 1975, to the acclaim of thousands of passionate tifosi supporters in the grandstands.
Nico Rosberg on Norris-Piastri title battle:
13:43
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Kieran Jackson
“When I was the favourite [in 2016], I was not able to win races anymore. I was so scared of losing the championship, it was mine to lose. The other guy is almost out of it.
“You’re so close to your big dream, you make many mistakes. This has now dropped off the shoulders of Lando, he started the season as the massive favourite but now it’s gone since last weekend.
I” think we’ll see a stronger Lando now and think we’re seeing it already. For me it’s Lando for the win this weekend and we still have a championship on our hands.”
Williams boss James Vowles on Sainz-Lawson incident in Zandvoort:
13:15
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Kieran Jackson
On their appeal:
“If you look on board from Lawson, his head is in the mirrors. He snaps.
“There’s two points on Carlos’ licence and I’d like clarity over how we go racing.”
FULL FP3 RESULTS
12:59
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Kieran Jackson
FP3 CLASSIFICATION
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 6, 2025
Norris pips Leclerc by the narrowest of margins
Bortoleto just 0.227s off the pace in P6 #F1 #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/U2j75000Ds
TOP-10 IN FP3
12:42
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Kieran Jackson
1. Lando Norris
2. Charles Leclerc
3. Oscar Piastri
4. Max Verstappen
5. George Russell
6. Gabriel Bortoleto
7. Lewis Hamilton
8. Isack Hadjar
9. Kimi Antonelli
10. Alex Albon
Lando Norris quickest in FP3!
12:34
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Kieran Jackson
Norris fastest once more, but Charles Leclerc nips in at the death to take second - just two-hundredths down on the Brit!
3-10: Piastri, Verstappen, Russell, Bortoleto, Hamilton, Hadjar, Antonelli, Albon
Top-10 separated by less than four-tenths of a second... that is tight!
Ollie Bearman not happy
12:33
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Kieran Jackson
Was Ocon in the way of him?
Bearman: “We need better execution, we can’t have my teammate sitting on the apex at turn 1.”
The Brit only P17 as it stands...
Piastri closes the gap
12:29
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Kieran Jackson
Piastri cuts his time, but not enough - he’s still 0.165 seconds short of Norris.
Final laps coming up now..
TOP-10 WITH 10 MINS TO GO IN FP3
12:20
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Kieran Jackson
1. Lando Norris
2. Oscar Piastri
3. Isack Hadjar
4. George Russell
5. Gabriel Bortoleto
6. Max Verstappen
7. Nico Hulkenberg
8. Lewis Hamilton
9. Alex Albon
10. Charles Leclerc
McLaren one-two!
12:19
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Kieran Jackson
Inevitable!
Norris goes top with a 1:19:331 (just half-a-second off the lap record here) with Piastri two-tenths off in second. Isack Hadjar, impressively, still in third.
Most qualifying simulation lap times are being set now.
Max Verstappen now on top
12:02
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Kieran Jackson
Verstappen, on softs, goes top with a 1:19:688, three-tenths quicker than Leclerc in second and Hamilton in third.
The Dutchman not happy with Esteban Ocon, however, who blocked him slightly: “He’s such a ****.”
4-10: Albon, Russell, Hulkenberg, Tsunoda, Hadjar, Piastri, Bearman
The McLarens yet to set a time on the mediums or softs...
Lewis Hamilton towards the top again
11:54
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Kieran Jackson
With a five-place grid penalty for tomorrow’s race, Lewis Hamilton knows he needs a strong qualifying later on.
And so far, he’s been right at the business end of the timesheet, around a circuit he has won at five times.
Yuki Tsunoda quickest early on
11:47
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Kieran Jackson
The Red Bull driver with a 1:20:775 on hard tyres is the fastest man so far, with Lewis Hamilton two-tenths down in second and Isack Hadjar in third.
Most drivers just getting into their rhythm now...
FP3 underway!
11:30
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Kieran Jackson
On another stunning day in northern Italy, we’re underway with the third and final hour of practice at Monza.
The final practice session of the European season...
FP3 coming up!
11:25
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Kieran Jackson
We’re five minutes away from the third and final practice in Monza!
It was Lando Norris’ session last time out, but Ferrari again looked quick after their one-two in FP1. Who will set the final benchmark ahead of qualifying later?!
Lando Norris in defiant mood as he eyes F1 title comeback against Oscar Piastri
11:22
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Kieran Jackson
Asked if he believes Piastri now needs to suffer a DNF in order for him to win the title, Norris replied: “No because in the end, if he’s done a better job, then credit to him.
“That’s how I am. I can still win the championship without anything like that happening and that’s the way I wish to do it. It’d make my life easier if there were just some more drivers in between us now and again.
“We’re so dominant as a team that it almost makes my life harder, that’s probably the most frustrating part of it all.
“But it’s still the best man win and if it’s that way at the end of the season, I’ll respect that.”
Cadillac add IndyCar star to F1 ranks for debut season in 2026
11:15
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Kieran Jackson
Cadillac have signed IndyCar star Colton Herta as an F1 test driver, with the American switching back to the European single-seater pyramid in the hope of an F1 seat in the future.
Herta, 25, has been linked with an F1 switch for a number of years and there was speculation that American team Cadillac could pick him as a home driver for their debut in the sport next year.
While they instead acquired the services of experienced drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, Herta has now been announced as a test driver, returning to Europe where he previously raced in British F3 as a teenager.
Driver Standings heading into Monza
11:10
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Kieran Jackson
Piastri now has a 34-point lead over Norris after the Brit’s unfortunate retirement in Zandvoort:
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 184 points
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 151 points
7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 64 points
8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 64 points
9. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 37 points
10. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 37 points
11. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 32 points
12. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 30 points
13. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 27 points
14. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 20 points
15. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 20 points
16. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 16 points
17. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 16 points
18. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 14 points
20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 0 points
21. Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 points
COMMENT: Is this the end for Lewis Hamilton? Write him off at your peril
10:59
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Kieran Jackson
Walking up the Viale Regina Margherita on Italian Grand Prix weekend, a stone’s throw from the enormous Parco di Monza where this thrillingly high-speed circuit sits at its core, you hit a horde of red-clad devotees. From early in the morning to late at night, they are stood waiting outside the Hotel de la Ville – which has been christened Monza’s ‘Drivers Hotel.’
This is where Ferrari, and a host of other teams, house their drivers. Regularly, a huge cheer will emerge as a driver pops outside to sign autographs and pose for selfies. Mere metres away, a poster of Lewis Hamilton holding a photoshopped goat, to signify his status as the greatest F1 driver of all time, is being held by another Scuderia supporter. This year, more than ever, the excitement reverberates around this quaint city in north-eastern Italy.
Kieran Jackson in Monza:
Red Bull boss makes ‘crazy’ assertion on 2026 engine project with Ford
05:00
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Kieran Jackson
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has acknowledged that the team’s engine project for 2026 is a “crazy” undertaking.
Mekies, who replaced the axed Christian Horner in July, has one eye focused on the sport’s new engine and chassis regulations next year, when Red Bull will take to the track with their own power unit, in partnership with American automotive giant Ford.
A project first announced two-and-a-half years ago, with Horner the figurehead, work continues apace in Milton Keynes for an engine capable of matching the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari.
Full quotes below:
VIDEO: Hamilton on Ferrari fans
03:00
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Kieran Jackson
Cadillac add IndyCar star to F1 ranks for debut season in 2026
01:00
,
Kieran Jackson
Cadillac have signed IndyCar star Colton Herta as an F1 test driver, with the American switching back to the European single-seater pyramid in the hope of an F1 seat in the future.
Herta, 25, has been linked with an F1 switch for a number of years and there was speculation that American team Cadillac could pick him as a home driver for their debut in the sport next year.
While they instead acquired the services of experienced drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, Herta has now been announced as a test driver, returning to Europe where he previously raced in British F3 as a teenager.
READ: F1 extends partnership with Monaco Grand Prix to 85 years with new contract
Friday 5 September 2025 21:00
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Kieran Jackson
Formula One has signed a four-year extension with the Monaco Grand Prix, with the race set to appear on the calendar until 2035.
Building on the previous deal until 2031, F1 has come to a fresh agreement with the Automobile Club of Monaco, despite the sport’s crown jewel event coming under criticism for a lack of overtaking.
Two mandatory pit stops were introduced this year with the intention of adding intrigue to what is usually a processional affair. However, teams worked around the rules with a slow-running car helping the other car make, effectively, a free pit-stop.
Full details below:
End of FP2
Friday 5 September 2025 17:05
,
Lawrence Ostlere
How they stacked up after FP2:
Norris fastest at the end of FP2
Friday 5 September 2025 17:03
,
Lawrence Ostlere
That’s that for second free practice at Monza, where Lando Norris has clocked the quickest time of the session, by eight hundreths ahead of Charles Leclerc.
Carlos Sainz, Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton round out the top five.
Leclerc goes off!
Friday 5 September 2025 16:54
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Charles Leclerc is the latest driver to leave the track, bumping over the grass and gravel at the Ascari Chicane after a big lock up, but he manages to control his Ferrari and guide it back on to the road surface.
Unfortunately there is gravel now all over that part of the track.
FP2
Friday 5 September 2025 16:46
,
Lawrence Ostlere
The moment when Kimi Antonelli came to a stop:
Oh no, Kimi! pic.twitter.com/oDwPOzISZk
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) September 5, 2025
Norris leads the way, Hamilton second
Friday 5 September 2025 16:37
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Hamilton clocks 0.192s behind Norris – though as I type, Sainz jumps between the pair into second place with his Williams.
Charles Leclerc, like most out there right now, is on the soft tyres but not enjoying them: “No grip at all, like zero,” he complains.
Albon runs off
Friday 5 September 2025 16:27
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Alex Albon may have damaged his car here, running off at the first Lesmo. He spun sideways but managed to continue!
He asks his team over radio to check everything’s working.
Antonelli is beached
Friday 5 September 2025 16:12
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Lawrence Ostlere
Oh dear. Kimi Antonelli is out of FP2 already, spinning off the track at the second of the Lesmo Corners and getting stuck in the gravel.
“Sorry about that,” he says over radio. He jumps out of the car and walks away.
That’s a pity, after clocking fifth in FP1.
FP2 is underway!
Friday 5 September 2025 16:02
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Piastri is first out in this second practice, raring to go.
FP2 coming up!
Friday 5 September 2025 15:55
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Kieran Jackson
So Ferrari, can you repeat the feat?
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc recorded an impressive one-two in first practice but, with Oscar Piastri back in the car for FP2, can the Scuderia pair go again?
Five minutes until FP2 is underway!
Hamilton and Leclerc welcomed in Milan
Friday 5 September 2025 14:59
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Kieran Jackson
An almighty Tifosi welcome to Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in Milan! pic.twitter.com/Tbe6xMcq8i
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) September 3, 2025
F1 constructor standings heading into Monza
Friday 5 September 2025 14:43
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Kieran Jackson
1. McLaren - 584 points
2. Ferrari - 260 points
3. Mercedes - 248 points
4. Red Bull - 214 points
5. Williams - 80 points
6. Aston Martin - 62 points
7. Racing Bulls - 60 points
8. Sauber - 51 points
9. Haas - 44 points
10. Alpine - 20 points
A helmet-cam view of Hamilton's table-topping lap in FP1
Friday 5 September 2025 14:15
,
Kieran Jackson
And Lewis Hamilton goes fastest #F1 #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/NeqJg7Baas
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 5, 2025
Start times for rest of Monza weekend:
Friday 5 September 2025 13:59
,
Kieran Jackson
Friday 5 September
- Free practice 2: 4pm
Saturday 6 September
- Free practice 3: 11:30am
- Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 7 September
- Race: 2pm
FULL FP1 RESULTS
Friday 5 September 2025 13:40
,
Kieran Jackson
FP1 CLASSIFICATION
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 5, 2025
Lewis Hamilton tops the timesheets in his first session as a Ferrari driver at Monza #F1 #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/6v5vt0AGKT
Lewis Hamilton quickest in FP1!
Friday 5 September 2025 13:33
,
Kieran Jackson
With a late flying lap, Hamilton takes top spot in first practice!
That’s the first time he’s been top of the leaderboard since the sprint race in China back in March!
Charles Leclerc makes it a Ferrari one-two, 0.169 secs off, with Carlos Sainz in third.
4-10: Verstappen, Antonelli, Noris, Albon, Russell, Alonso, Hadjar
Charles Leclerc goes quickest
Friday 5 September 2025 13:24
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Kieran Jackson
The Monegasque loves it around here and he goes fastest with a 1:20:286 - three-tenths quicker than Carlos Sainz.
Verstappen now down to P3, with Hamilton in fourth and Norris in fifth.
Final few laps being set now....