Norris sets the pace ahead of Qualifying, but battle for pole position remains open!

Drivers were not too eager to get out on track early on, with many still getting dressed five minutes after the lights turned green at 12:30 local time.

Much to the liking of the Italian fans, a Ferrari car finally appeared, as Hamilton did do a couple of laps on the medium tyres. As a result, he led the session after the first ten minutes with a 1:16.9, with only Nico Hülkenberg setting time other than the seven-time world champion.

Hamilton was in first place just until the end of the first 20 minutes of the session, when first Piastri, and then Verstappen set a faster time than the Briton. Norris set the second fastest time on the mediums, standing behind the Dutchman, but ahead of his teammate.

Fernando Alonso was in a hairy moment as well, as the Spaniard began a new lap and accelerated out of Rivazza 2, Leclerc was going slowly ahead of him. The Aston Martin driver was not satisfied with the Monegasque driver, he told him team over the radio.

At the halfway point, Liam Lawson spun in Turn 2, but avoided the wall luckily for the Faenza-based team. In terms of the lap times Verstappen led on the mediums with a 1:15.1, ahead of Norris and Isack Hadjar.

The frontrunners began fitting the C6 soft tyres around the final 17 minutes of FP3. Russell and Piastri had to forfeit their first laps after making mistakes, while Verstappen lost everything he gained in the final sector, and therefore Norris took the lead with a 1:14.8 after the first attempts.

On used hards, Norris also locked up into Turn 1, and went across the gravel trap cutting Turn 2. While Piastri improved to get up to second place and finish ahead of Verstappen. However, fans could hardly see the full potential of the frontrunners today, therefore, an exciting Qualifying session awaits later today.

In terms of the Ferraris, as Leclerc finished in P5 behind Kimi Antonelli, while Hamilton made a mistake exiting Rivazza 2 on his final lap and finished in tenth place.