Formula One (F1) heads to the Temple of Speed, Monza, for the 2026 Italian GP. This will mark the start of a doubleheader covering the last two European races. We discuss some of the important stories ahead of this week’s Italian GP.
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Track and Weather for the 2026 Italian GP
Autodromo Nazionale Monza was built in 1922 and was the world’s third purpose-built race track, after Brooklands in the UK and Indianapolis in the US. The original circuit featured daunting banked corners. The locals call it the Magic Track, and it is known for its speed. Cars are on full throttle for most of the lap.
| Circuit Lenght | 5.793 km |
| Number of Turns | 11 |
| Number of Laps | 53 |
| Race Distance | 306.72 km |
| Fastest Lap Record | 1:20.901 (Lando Noriss 2025) |
The weather forecast says it will be extremely hot, with virtually no chance of rain. Current forecasts predict hot and dry conditions, with temperatures reaching as high as 34°C and only a small chance of showers later on Sunday.
Kimi Antonelli starts his home race with a disadvantage
Kimi Antonelli will be coming to his home race leading the World Drivers’ Championship (WDC) by 59 points. Although he won’t be receiving full backing from the Italian crowd, most of whom will be cheering for Ferrari, Antonelli still wants to be standing on top of the podium at his home race.
It will not be a simple task, as the twenty-year-old will be taking grid penalties due to power unit changes. Due to constant reliability issues, Mercedes has opted to change the power unit. The Silver Arrows chose Monza to take the penalties as it is a fast track and relatively easy to gain positions when starting from the back. No matter how good the overtaking opportunities are, winning the race from the back of the grid will be a difficult task for the Italian driver
Liam Lawson gets another shot at Red Bull, with Yuki Tsunoda getting behind the wheel for the sister team
Isack Hadjar is recovering from a wrist injury and was unable to start the Dutch GP. Liam Lawson replaced him at Red Bull, while Yuki Tsunoda partnered with Arvid Lindblad at Racing Bulls.
Red Bull has announced that the driver pairing will continue for the Italian GP at Monza, as Hadjar is still recovering. This provides Lawson with another chance to showcase his skills and audition for the main team.
Yuki Tsunoda also gets another F1 weekend after losing his seat at the end of the 2025 season.
Ferrari brings ADUO Engine upgrades for 2026 Italian GP
It’s impossible to ignore Ferrari at the Italian GP, as the sea of Tifosi will turn out to support their team. Ferrari will be bringing its second allocated ADUO engine upgrade, along with some aerodynamic upgrades.
Both Leclerc and Hamilton will get their fourth Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs). The updated power unit features a revised combustion chamber and turbocharger, with an expected gain of up to 15 horsepower. A new Shell fuel formulation is also part of the upgrade.
The upgrade aims to cut Ferrari’s power unit deficit to Mercedes by around half. Ferrari will also introduce a low-drag aerodynamic package. The Macarena rear wing, which was used with additional support flaps at previous races, will have those elements removed for Monza to reduce drag.
A revised floor specification will also be introduced, reverting to a single vertical element in the floor-board area. This is intended to reduce drag on the straights, where Ferrari has struggled this season. With Monza featuring long straights and cars running at full throttle for much of the lap, straight-line efficiency will be particularly important.
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