George Russell throws down Ferrari Monza pole challenge as Lewis Hamilton nearest rival

George Russell is the favourite for Italian Grand Prix pole position, with Lewis Hamilton emerging as his closest rival in Free Practice 3.

In the final 60 minutes at Monza, Russell clocked a 1:22.219 to top his second session of the weekend, after FP2, with Hamilton's Ferrari slotting in 0.226s behind. 

Max Verstappen rounded out the top three in an otherwise tight session as just over two-tenths seperated Hamilton in second and Arvid Lindblad in seventh.

Qualifying starts later this afternoon at 15:00 local time, 14:00 BST. 

With drivers keen to find the precious tow and slipstream to aid lap times, most of the action was centred around the second half of the session, with Kimi Antonelli topping the initial times, although he will carry a 30-place grid penalty for an engine change. 

Russell ultimately topped the times on a 1:22.219, being aided by the tow from Antonelli through Curva Grande and into Turn 4, with Hamilton getting the tow from the McLaren of Oscar Piastri. 

Hamilton slotted in behind Russell on his second attempt at a soft-tyre run having aborted his first attempt having gone purple through sector one. 

Verstappen was third on a 1:22.569, with Antonelli 0.011s behind in the sister Mercedes.

Lando Norris was fifth for McLaren ahead of Charles Leclerc, Lindblad, Piastri, Pierre Gasly, and Franco Colapinto, who rounded out the top 10. 

Verstappen was noted by the stewards for an incident with Hamilton at the end of the session, where he divebombed into Turn 1 after feeling Hamilton had aggrieved him at Parabolica. 

The Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon will be investigated for yellow flag infringements, whilst Russell escaped sanction for an alleged impeding on Piastri at Lesmo 1.