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Friday's first session, away from Kimi Antonelli's crash, ended with Max Verstappen topping the hour by 0.228 seconds on the soft tyre from the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, who set his best marker on the mediums.

In second practice, Lewis Hamilton was quickest in the Mercedes but the top five were only separated by 0.154 seconds. Dutch Grand Prix winner Lando Norris was just 0.003secs off the pace of the seven-time world champion.

Abbi Pulling
F1 Academy championship leader on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Lando Norris is definitely thinking he can take it right to the wire with Max Verstappen, the performance that McLaren have shown, he's probably got a smile under that helmet and knowing he can bring it to Red Bull.

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Lewis Hamilton is testing the limits of the lower kerbs at the revamped Monza circuit and bundles his Mercedes over the bumps in his pursuit of finding the most efficient line.

The top of the timesheets is changing at a rapid rate now, with Lando Norris, Hamilton and Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz all taking turns to go quickest, before George Russell hits a 1:20.706 on the mediums to set the pace.

Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

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If you dig down from the numbers from yesterday it's really hard to pick who is the quickest team and driver. Lewis Hamilton was fastest of all, Max Verstappen was a long way down the list of times but he never got a quick lap in. The McLarens, the Mercedes and the Ferraris were all on the pace.

It's really hard to call this weekend, one thing that might change massively, Monza has always been a low degradation track, always a one-stop, but this year it's been resurfaced with some controversial changes to some of the corners - and that's putting the tyres through the mill. It could even be a two-stopper, which is unheard of at Monza for as long as I can remember.

From the hardest tyres in the Pirelli at Zandvoort to the softest rubber for Monza's speed test.

Teams and drivers will be given two sets of hard (C3, white), three sets of medium (C4, yellow) and eight sets of the soft tyre (C5, red). The green intermediates and blue full wets will also be on hand, should they be required.

Monza has been given a bit of a makeover for this season's race, with the first phase of renovations under way at the historic venue - including the track being completely resurfaced.

Kimi, meet Kimi.

The Iceman, Kimi Raikkonen, is back in the paddock in Monza and is chatting to Mattia Binotto, who has replaced Andreas Seidl as head of Audi's Formula 1 project.

Meanwhil, Oscar Piastri has put the soft boots on first and clocked a 1:20.887 in the McLaren. Max Verstappen, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton are behind the Australian but on the medium tyre.

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The only two seats available on the 2025 grid now are at Sauber to partner Nico Hulkenberg and RB, who are yet to confirm who will line up alongside Yuki Tsunoda next season.

With Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes future rubber-stamped, the Italian will be joining fellow rookies Oliver Bearman, who will be driving for Haas (and still sits 15th in this year's championship after his points for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia) and Australian Jack Doohan, who is making the jump from reserve driver to the main seat over at Alpine.

Abbi Pulling
F1 Academy championship leader on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

On Mercedes signing Andrea Kimi Antonelli for next season, replacing Lewis Hamilton.

I'm over the moon for him, it's really nice to see junior drivers getting the recognition and being promoted. He's got big boots to fill, Lewis Hamilton is a multiple world champion, it's going to be tough and a lot of pressure.

It will be really exciting to see if he can push for some podiums in his rookie campaign.

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So, yesterday's debut was short-lived for Kimi Antonelli at his home circuit but Toto Wolff was keen to stress the Italian will make mistakes when he becomes a full-time driver.

"Probably we will see some very good races and highlights in the first season," said the Mercedes boss. "But on the other side we will also see some front wings that will be missing after Turn One and maybe one or two other things in the race that don't run so well.

"F1 is a complicated car, lots of switches, and that's something you need to adapt to."

Image source, Reuters

"I made up my mind five minutes after Lewis Hamilton told me he was going to Ferrari," Toto Wolff said in a press conference to announce Kimi Antonelli.

George Russell was also present in the room, along with Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali.

Abbi Pulling
F1 Academy championship leader on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Monza is so special, the history behind it you can feel it when you're driving round. There's a lot more technical aspects as well; you've got to make sure your brake shapes are so perfect technically, and it's all about momentum as well.

BBC Sounds

Harry Benjamin and F1 Academy championship leader Abbi Pulling are in position for third practice.

Click the 'listen live' tab at the top of this page or ask BBC Sounds to play Italian Grand Prix practice three via your smart speaker to listen to live commentary.

One last dress rehearsal before the main show.

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Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent in Monza

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Toto Wolff decided to promote Kimi Antonelli after what will be just one season in Formula 2, because he believes he can become a leading driver and that keeping him out of F1 would be wrong.

"Kimi has been with us since the age of 11," Wolff told BBC Sport in an exclusive interview.

"We have seen that, back in the day, his karting has been exceptional, maybe the only one who came close to this was Max Verstappen's karting trajectory.

"And then he went through the formula series, winning in the rookie years and that is very special.

"Kimi has all he needs, the ability and the speed, and he has been part of the team a long time, he has tested a lot.

"We expect great things, but not from the beginning. It is clear we need to give him time and see how he develops."

Wolff added with George Russell and Antonelli, the team now have "two drivers who are very extraordinary".

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Mercedes put Kimi Antonelli - who was sitting in for George Russell as part of his preparations for F1 - on the soft tyre in the opening minutes of Friday's first practice session and the teenager shot straight to the top of the timesheets after his first flying run.

So far, so good.

But in an effort to improve his time, Antonelli took too much speed into Parabolica and crashed heavily with just 10 minutes on the clock.

The 18-year-old was uninjured and walked back to the paddock for supportive hugs from team principal Toto Wolff. However, the car was damaged and that left Russell waiting around during the second session to get out and bank some valuable time on track.

"Clearly here, with everything piling up on him in Monza, that is very difficult to cope with. Is that the reason why he put it in the wall? Maybe," Wolff said after yesterday's practice running.

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The worst kept secret in the paddock is now confirmed.

Mercedes confirmed the news this morning that Andrea Kimi Antonelli will replace Lewis Hamilton and partner George Russell for the 2025 season.

The 18-year-old Italian will be make the step up from Formula 2 after being fast-tracked into the series, bypassing Formula 3.

Antonelli has been with the Silver Arrows since the age of 11 and said "reaching F1 is a dream I’ve had since I was a small boy".

He added: "I want to thank the team for the support they’ve given me in my career so far and the faith they’ve shown in me."

However, Antonelli's race weekend debut in first practice yesterday didn't quite go to plan...

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Hello, folks. Saturday in Monza on the last day of August means fast cars vying for pole position at the Temple of Speed.

Third practice gets going at 11:30 BST.

Qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix is at 15:00 BST.

Commentary on both sessions will be online-only, so you'll need to click the 'listen live' tab at the top of the page to tune in.

Alternatively, you can listen via most smart speakers. Just ask BBC Sounds to play the Italian Grand Prix, followed by 'practice three' for the first session and then 'qualifying' this afternoon.

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There is no transfer deadline day in Formula 1.

Another seat has been filled for 2025.

The teenage prodigy will be taking over from the seven-time world champion at Mercedes next year...