STAR F1 PREVIEW: 2026 Italian Grand Prix

Formula 1 heads to the Temple of Speed this weekend as Monza hosts the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli preparing for a home race made significantly more complicated by a grid penalty.

Antonelli still holds a commanding 59-point championship lead, but back-to-back victories for Lando Norris have changed the complexion at the front since the summer break, while George Russell and Lewis Hamilton are now level on points in second. With Monza placing an enormous premium on straight-line speed, energy management and braking stability, Formula 1’s new generation of cars faces one of its most fascinating tests yet, writes WILLIAM KEDJANYI.

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2026 Pirelli Italian Grand Prix
Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy
All coverage live on Sky Sports F1, Sky Go & NOW – times in BST
1️⃣ Practice One: 11.30am Friday
1️⃣ Practice Two: 3pm Friday
1️⃣ Practice Three: 11am Saturday
⏰ Qualifying: 3pm Saturday
🏆 Race: 2pm Sunday

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The Story from Zandvoort

Lando Norris continued McLaren’s resurgence with a second successive Grand Prix victory at Zandvoort, beating championship leader Kimi Antonelli after an eventful Dutch Grand Prix.

Norris had already demonstrated McLaren’s pace by taking pole position ahead of George Russell and Antonelli, although Saturday’s Sprint belonged to Russell. The Mercedes driver won from Charles Leclerc and Norris, with Antonelli finishing fourth.

The Grand Prix itself changed dramatically almost immediately. Norris led from pole, but home favourite Max Verstappen lost the rear of his Red Bull and crashed heavily on the opening lap, bringing out the red flag and ending his race in front of the Dutch crowd.

Antonelli attacked at the restart, passing Norris and moving into the lead before beginning to establish an advantage. For a time it appeared that the Italian could add another victory to his championship campaign, but Norris gradually reduced the gap and eventually reclaimed first place as the race entered its final third.

A late Virtual Safety Car caused by Esteban Ocon’s stopped Haas added another strategic complication. Antonelli stopped for fresh tyres while Norris and Russell remained out, with Mercedes subsequently moving Russell aside to release their championship leader.

Norris nevertheless had enough in hand. The World Champion crossed the line 11.536 seconds ahead of Antonelli to complete consecutive victories in Hungary and the Netherlands, while Russell held off the Ferraris to take third.

Hamilton finished fourth ahead of Leclerc, Oscar Piastri took sixth and Liam Lawson produced another strong performance for Red Bull with seventh.

The result means Norris arrives at Monza as arguably the form driver in Formula 1. Antonelli remains firmly in control of the championship, but Mercedes no longer possesses the clear performance advantage it enjoyed during the opening months of the season – albeit that they should be much better suited to the upcoming circuits, espcially Monza.

1. Lando Norris (🇬🇧 McLaren) – 72 laps, 2:04:44.859 – 25 pts
2. Kimi Antonelli (🇮🇹 Mercedes) – +11.536s – 18 pts
3. George Russell (🇬🇧 Mercedes) – +15.906s – 15 pts
4. Lewis Hamilton (🇬🇧 Ferrari) – +16.755s – 12 pts
5. Charles Leclerc (🇲🇨 Ferrari) – +17.258s – 10 pts
6. Oscar Piastri (🇦🇺 McLaren)
7. Liam Lawson (🇳🇿 Red Bull Racing)

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Race Winners/Pole Sitters:

🇦🇺 Australia – George Russell (Win & Pole)
🇨🇳 China – Kimi Antonelli (Win & Pole)
🇯🇵 Japan – Kimi Antonelli (Win & Pole)
🇺🇸 Miami – Kimi Antonelli (Win & Pole)
🇨🇦 Canada – Kimi Antonelli Win (George Russell Pole)
🇲🇨 Monaco – Kimi Antonelli (Win & Pole)
🇪🇸 Barcelona-Catalunya – Lewis Hamilton Win (George Russell Pole)
🇦🇹 Austria – George Russell (Win & Pole)
🇬🇧 Great Britain – Charles Leclerc Win (Kimi Antonelli Pole)
🇧🇪 Belgium – Kimi Antonelli (Win & Pole)
🇭🇺 Hungary – Lando Norris (Win & Pole)
🇳🇱 Netherlands – Lando Norris (Win & Pole)

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Standings 📊

Driver / Car / Points:

1. Kimi Antonelli 🇮🇹 (Mercedes) – 242 points
2. George Russell 🇬🇧 (Mercedes) – 183 points
3. Lewis Hamilton 🇬🇧 (Ferrari) – 183 points
4. Lando Norris 🇬🇧 (McLaren) – 159 points
5. Charles Leclerc 🇲🇨 (Ferrari) – 155 points
6. Max Verstappen 🇳🇱 (Red Bull Racing) – 112 points
7. Oscar Piastri 🇦🇺 (McLaren) – 104 points
8. Isack Hadjar 🇫🇷 (Red Bull Racing) – 68 points
9. Liam Lawson 🇳🇿 (Racing Bulls/Red Bull Racing) – 49 points
10. Pierre Gasly 🇫🇷 (Alpine) – 44 points
11. Arvid Lindblad 🇬🇧 (Racing Bulls) – 23 points
12. Franco Colapinto 🇦🇷 (Alpine) – 19 points
13. Oliver Bearman 🇬🇧 (Haas) – 18 points
14. Gabriel Bortoleto 🇧🇷 (Audi) – 10 points
15. Nico Hülkenberg 🇩🇪 (Audi) – 6 points
16. Carlos Sainz 🇪🇸 (Williams) – 6 points
17. Alexander Albon 🇹🇭 (Williams) – 5 points
18. Esteban Ocon 🇫🇷 (Haas) – 3 points
19. Fernando Alonso 🇪🇸 (Aston Martin) – 3 points
20. Yuki Tsunoda 🇯🇵 (Racing Bulls) – 0 points
21. Lance Stroll 🇨🇦 (Aston Martin) – 0 points
22. Valtteri Bottas 🇫🇮 (Cadillac) – 0 points
23. Sergio Pérez 🇲🇽 (Cadillac) – 0 points

🏎️ Constructors:

⚪ Mercedes – 425 pts (8 wins, 16 podiums, 19 Grand Prix Top 10 finishes)
🔴 Ferrari – 338 pts (2 wins, 9 podiums, 22 Grand Prix Top 10 finishes)
🟠 McLaren – 263 pts (2 wins, 6 podiums, 16 Grand Prix Top 10 finishes)
🔵 Red Bull – 186 pts (4 podiums)
⚫ Racing Bulls – 66 pts
🔷 Alpine – 63 pts (1 podium, 14 Grand Prix Top 10 finishes)
🟡 Haas – 21 pts (5 Grand Prix Top 10 finishes)
🟢 Audi – 16 pts (5 Grand Prix Top 10 finishes)
🔵 Williams – 11 pts (5 Grand Prix Top 10 finishes)
🟢 Aston Martin – 3 pts (2 Grand Prix Top 10 finishes)
⚪ Cadillac – 0 pts

Standings correct after the Dutch Grand Prix.

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Track Guide 🚦

• Track length: 5.793km (3.600 miles)
• Race distance: 53 laps / 306.72km (190.59 miles)
• Number of turns: 11
• First Grand Prix: 1950
• Pole to Turn 1 braking point: 476 metres
• Pit-lane time loss: approximately 24 seconds
• 2025 overtakes: 47
• Safety Car probability: 50% based on the last eight Monza races

Known universally as the Temple of Speed, the historic circuit places less emphasis on conventional cornering downforce than almost anywhere else on the calendar and rewards aerodynamic efficiency, braking confidence, traction and raw straight-line performance.

The lap begins with one of Formula 1’s most severe braking zones. Drivers arrive at the Rettifilo chicane at enormous speed before slowing dramatically for the tight right-left sequence. Braking stability is crucial, while the first lap frequently produces incidents as the field compresses into Turn 1.

The cars then accelerate through Curva Grande towards the Variante della Roggia, another heavy braking zone where kerb usage and stability on direction change are important. The two Lesmo corners follow, with the exit from Lesmo 2 especially significant because drivers carry that speed onto the long run towards Ascari.

Ascari is one of the defining sections of the lap. Drivers attack the left-right-left sequence at high speed, and a clean first turn is essential to maintaining momentum through the remainder of the complex.

From there it is another long full-throttle run towards Curva Alboreto, still commonly known as Parabolica. Drivers must balance carrying speed into the corner with getting back onto the throttle early enough to maximise the enormous run down Monza’s main straight.

With only 11 corners and a succession of long straights, teams traditionally bring their smallest rear wings of the season. That reduces drag but leaves the cars less planted under braking and through the faster corners, meaning confidence and mechanical grip become particularly important.

The 2026 cars add a completely new dimension to that familiar Monza challenge.

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How The 2026 Cars Will Change Monza ⚡

If Spa was a major test of Formula 1’s new energy-management regulations, Monza could be even more revealing.

The circuit’s enormous full-throttle percentage means drivers will spend substantial periods demanding maximum performance from their power units, while opportunities to recover electrical energy are relatively limited. How efficiently each manufacturer manages deployment and harvesting could therefore have a significant influence on both qualifying and race pace.

Straight-line efficiency will be essential. The active-aerodynamics systems available under the 2026 regulations should help the cars reduce drag along Monza’s long straights, but teams must still find enough stability to attack the circuit’s huge braking zones.

The characteristics of the new power units also change where the cars are being stressed. The front tyres are expected to experience lower braking loads because drivers should approach the major braking zones at somewhat reduced speeds, but the rear axle faces the opposite problem.

With the full power of the new-generation power units being deployed as drivers accelerate out of the chicanes, traction demand on the rear tyres will be substantial.

That makes Monza much more than a simple top-speed contest. The fastest package may be the one that combines efficient energy deployment with rear stability, traction and the confidence to brake late while running an extremely low-downforce set-up.

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Tactics 🧠

Pirelli has selected the three softest compounds in its 2026 range for its home Grand Prix, with the C3 designated as the Hard, C4 as the Medium and C5 as the Soft.

All three compounds could theoretically feature in Sunday’s race, although the combination of relatively modest degradation and Monza’s long lap means a one-stop strategy is currently considered the most likely approach. Last year, Max Verstappen went 38 laps on the medium tyre, whilst Norris and Piastri went even longer in the hope of a late Safety Car.

The heat could complicate matters. Track temperatures are forecast to reach as high as 57C during the weekend, placing particular emphasis on controlling rear tyre temperatures.

Rear overheating rather than conventional degradation may therefore become the principal tyre-management concern. The new power units place considerable demand on the rear axle under acceleration, and repeated traction events out of the First Chicane, Roggia and Ascari could punish drivers who slide excessively.

The Medium therefore appears likely to be an important race tyre. A conventional Medium-to-Hard strategy would give drivers flexibility over the timing of their only stop, while starting on the Hard could provide an opportunity to extend the opening stint and capitalise on a Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car.

The Soft is more likely to be a qualifying tyre, although sufficiently favourable temperatures or a late Safety Car could bring it into play during the race.

The pit-lane loss of roughly 24 seconds is another reason to avoid an unnecessary second stop. However, Monza offers considerably more overtaking potential than many circuits, so teams are less likely to be trapped behind slower cars after stopping.

Energy deployment will be just as important as tyre strategy. Drivers cannot simply use maximum electrical power continuously along every straight. Teams will have to decide where deployment delivers the greatest lap-time benefit and where harvesting can be achieved at the lowest cost.

That creates another tactical dimension when racing wheel-to-wheel. A driver who spends heavily to complete an overtake could become vulnerable later in the lap if their battery state falls below that of the car behind.

Slipstreaming will also be hugely important in qualifying. The tow has traditionally been powerful at Monza and could be particularly valuable with the 2026 cars, meaning teams will need to balance finding track position with ensuring their drivers are not caught in traffic before beginning their final laps.

That creates the familiar Monza danger of drivers backing up before the final corner while trying to manufacture a tow. Timing the final Q3 runs could be almost as important as outright pace – remember 2019?

The strategic picture therefore looks deceptively simple on paper – probably one stop and relatively manageable degradation – but rear temperatures, energy deployment, track position and the possibility of a Safety Car will all play a part.

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Weather ☀️

Friday – Practice One and Practice Two:

Friday is expected to be hot and completely dry, with clear skies throughout the day. Temperatures will rise from around 21°C in the morning to a high of 34°C during the afternoon, while winds should remain light at approximately 6km/h.

The major consideration will be track temperature, which could reach 56°C. That should provide plenty of grip but could also make rear tyre management an important focus during the teams’ long-run simulations.

Maximum temperature: 34°C Minimum temperature: 21°C Chance of rain: 0%

Saturday – Practice Three and Qualifying:

Conditions should remain hot and dry for qualifying day, with temperatures ranging from 22°C to 34°C and track temperatures potentially reaching 57°C.

Winds will again be light at around 6-7km/h, with gusts of up to 20km/h. With no rain expected, qualifying should provide a clean test of outright performance, although tyre preparation and avoiding overheating could become important during repeated runs.

Maximum temperature: 34°C Minimum temperature: 22°C Chance of rain: 0%

Sunday – Race:

Race day should again be sunny and hot, with temperatures rising from around 24°C in the morning to 34°C during the afternoon.

High pressure should keep conditions stable, with only light winds and no meaningful threat of rain during the Grand Prix. Track temperatures could once again approach 57°C if skies remain clear.

That places even greater emphasis on the rear-tyre management highlighted by Pirelli. Drivers who overheat the rear axle early in a stint could pay for it later, even if outright tyre degradation remains relatively modest.

Maximum temperature: 34°C Minimum temperature: 24°C Chance of rain: 10% – primarily after sunset

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The Big Question: Can Antonelli Recover? 🇮🇹

Kimi Antonelli arrives at his home Grand Prix with a 59-point championship lead and six victories from the opening 12 races, but Mercedes have deliberately chosen Monza as the venue to introduce a new power unit and take the resulting grid penalty.

It is an understandable decision. Antonelli has already suffered costly reliability trouble this season, and Mercedes want to reduce the risk of another failure during the championship run-in.

Monza also offers one of the better opportunities to recover from a poor starting position. There were 47 overtakes in last year’s race; the long straights provide several passing opportunities, and outright Mercedes performance has been strong at power-sensitive circuits throughout 2026.

Antonelli has taken six of the first 12 Grand Prix poles, Russell four and Norris the last two, meaning no Ferrari or Red Bull driver has yet taken a pole position under the new regulations.

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Race Verdict 🏁

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Antonelli’s engine penalty provides a big opportunity for the rest of the top four team contenders. George Russell has endured much frustration this season but has a golden chance to claw back ground in what has been the best car for the majority of this season, especially around energy-starved circuits with long straights.

Lando Norris is arguably driving as well as he ever has, with the upgraded MCL-40 shining around Hungary and Zandvoort, allowing him to show his true class. Those two circuits suited the McLaren gear ratios, however, and put less of a premium on straightline speed, with a number of high-speed corners also matching perfectly with the upgrades they bought, especially given how they enhanced Norris’s tyre management skills.

Monza is going to be exceptionally punishing on the gearbox ratios, something which puts the McLaren at a disadvantage, whilst their top speeds have been a weak point against their rivals all season long (the two are interlinked). There’s also the question of slow-speed corner performance, drag, and heavy braking, all of which have been weaknesses compared with last year and relative to the rest of the big four this season.

That’s enough to avoid current quotes of 17/10 about Norris making it a hat-trick, for all he’s the form driver on the grid. Ferrari’s pair of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are fascinating options given their very strong race pace at times this year. Indeed, at Zandvoort both Hamilton and Leclerc had race-leading pace at times, Leclerc won the British Grand Prix (albeit fortunately), and at Spa both were in the top four, albeit with Norris having taken a grid penalty. An upgraded engine – conveniently just in time for their home Grand Prix, where both their drivers have very strong records gives further encouragement to the Tifosi, although their execution has been lacking since their wins in Barcelona and at Silverstone.

The demands of Monza on the ICE (to combat cars harvesting dangerously, a rule has been implemented to allow only 5MJ to be harvested in qualifying, so the cars will spend significantly more time running on their ICE rather than their battery) plays into the hands of Red Bull, judged to have the best ICE by the FIA and consistently amongst the best in terms of straightline speed.

Many upgrades have been brought this year but it’s easy to forget that Max Verstappen was amongst the Mercedes pairing at the power-heavy Red Bull Ring whilst both he and the absent Isack Hadjar showed strong pace.

In Verstappen’s absence after a first lap crash, Liam Lawson drove an excellent race in Zandvoort when adjusting to the car after a late switch from Racing Bulls, but the Red Bull ought to be closer to their rivals here and both Verstappen and Lawson could be in the running for a big weekend here.

Verstappen has expressed his dissatisfaction with these regulations but he has three podiums in his last completed races and has the best ICE package on his side, which makes the 9/5 on a podium finish for him an interesting bet which could give punters a very good run for their money.

Kimi Antonelli will start from the back of the grid, but this circuit and the inherent pace advantage should mean that he finishes at least eighth, although given his race pace this season, a higher finish would be no surprise. When Antonelli has finished – his 15th place in Britain can’t be realistically counted as a representative effort – he has finished on the podium, and the boosted 9/2 with starsports.bet that he can pull one out of the fire is worth having onside.

With Antonelli so far behind, this is the make or break moment for George Russell and the boosted 13/5 on offer with starsports.bet for him to take victory is worth chancing – he’d be sure to go off shorter with a front row start, he should get a tow from Antonelli, and his qualifying form – Hungary aside – has not been terrible, with three poles and a front row start at Zandvoort.

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PROFIT/LOSS (2026): -3.00 points

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