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Max sixth after Friday practice in Monza: 'A decent Friday'

Published on 05 September 2025 by Misha van der Kroon

After finishing fourth in the first free practice, the second session was slightly less productive for Max Verstappen, ending it in sixth. Lando Norris set the fastest time in his McLaren ahead of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari and Carlos Sainz’s Williams. At the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Oscar Piastri in his McLaren and Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari rounded out the top five. Max’ teammate at Oracle Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, ended the session in ninth.

“It has been quite decent,” Max says after the second free practice in Monza. “We seem to be more competitive, and I’m quite happy with the car as well.” He continues: “The sessions today have been tricky, with people going off and putting gravel onto the track, but overall it has been a decent Friday.”

At the start of the second free practice, the weather is good, with an air temperature of 27°C and track temperature of 41°C. Just like FP1, the second session also begins under a virtual safety car, so the systems on track can be tested. After about three minutes, the full field is out.

Max is also on track, and his first flying lap puts him at the top of the timesheets. He runs his RB21 on medium tyres. Shortly after, Russell and Piastri go marginally faster, pushing the World Champion back to P3.

Kimi Antonelli brings out a red flag a little later after digging himself into the gravel at the second Lesmo. The clock keeps ticking, and with 45 minutes remaining, the track is cleared. Piastri and Lawson are the first to head back out.

Max then sets the fastest time on his first flying lap. With just over half an hour remaining, the first cars on soft tyres appear on track, signalling the start of qualifying simulations.

After having to abort his first qualifying simulation, Norris succeeds on his second, putting his McLaren on P1. Max also aborts his first attempt after running wide in the second Lesmo and having to lift off to avoid going off track. “The car bounces a lot over every bump,” he reports to his team. On his second attempt, with his tyres past their peak, he clocks a fourth-fastest time, two tenths off Norris' time.

The final phase of the second practice session, as usual, is used for race simulations, bringing the first day in Italy to a close.

Contest GP Italy: win a by Max Verstappen signed Red Bull Racing cap!

Results second free practice Italy:

posdriverteamtimelaps
1Lando NorrisNORMcLaren1:19.87827
2Charles LeclercLECFerrari+0.083s28
3Carlos SainzSAIWilliams+0.096s29
4Oscar PiastriPIAMcLaren+0.181s28
5Lewis HamiltonHAMFerrari+0.192s25
6Max VerstappenVERRed Bull Racing+0.199s26
7Alexander AlbonALBWilliams+0.301s27
8Nico HulkenbergHULKick Sauber+0.363s26
9Yuki TsunodaTSURed Bull Racing+0.391s27
10George RussellRUSMercedes+0.398s28
11Isack HadjarHADRacing Bulls+0.505s23
12Gabriel BortoletoBORKick Sauber+0.597s24
13Lance StrollSTRAston Martin+0.650s27
14Oliver BearmanBEAHaas+0.729s28
15Fernando AlonsoALOAston Martin+0.767s25
16Esteban OconOCOHaas+0.776s28
17Liam LawsonLAWRacing Bulls+0.933s24
18Pierre GaslyGASAlpine+1.224s29
19Kimi AntonelliANTMercedes+1.489s4
20Franco ColapintoCOLAlpine+1.686s29