Ferrari narrows the engine difference, but Mercedes remains quicker.

      Ferrari's ADUO power unit upgrade seems to have brought the team closer to Mercedes at Monza, although both Fred Vasseur and Lewis Hamilton maintain that the German engine still possesses an edge.

      Ferrari began the weekend with a 1-2 finish in the first practice session, but George Russell claimed the top spot in FP2, with Kimi Antonelli noting that the gap between the two manufacturers has significantly decreased.

      "Ferrari has certainly made progress with the new engine," remarked the championship leader. "They are now comparable in speed, and we are aware of their strengths in cornering. I therefore anticipate a tightly contested battle for pole position."

      Vasseur, however, was more reserved, emphasizing that Ferrari has not completely diminished Mercedes' existing advantage. "We didn't bridge the gap to the Mercedes engine at all," the Frenchman stated. "We are still quite far behind on the engine front. Nevertheless, a small step is still a step forward, and it's significant when you observe the tight competition on the track and grid."

      Hamilton echoed this sentiment after Friday's practice, particularly highlighting straight-line performance. "The Mercedes is consistently fast on the straights, so we have work to do overnight," the Brit said. "Our main challenge is straight-line speed. In comparison to Russell, I lost about six tenths just in the straights."

      Despite this, Hamilton acknowledged a positive aspect of Ferrari's upgrade. "The drivability of the new power unit excels in the slower sections, but that’s not a major concern here as there are only a few slow corners. Nevertheless, the team did an excellent job in that area."

      With qualifying anticipated to be very competitive, Vasseur indicated that slipstreaming could play a crucial role. "For qualifying, I believe Russell and Verstappen will benefit from a tow from their teammates," he noted. "The tow can provide a significant four tenths of a second. It will be challenging for us to compete with Russell and Verstappen if we factor in that additional four tenths."