Formula 1 heads to the iconic Monza circuit this weekend for the Italian Grand Prix, with the championship battle continuing to intensify at the front of the field.
The 2026 race will be the 13th Grand Prix of the season, with Kimi Antonelli arriving in Italy as the championship leader.
The young Italian arrives in Monza having established a 59-point advantage over team-mate George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
Lando Norris, meanwhile, enters the weekend after claiming back-to-back victories for the first time this season in a return to his 2025 form.
The defending Formula 1 champion gives McLaren further momentum heading into one of the most historic races on the F1 calendar.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, including the weekend schedule and our predictions for the podium.
Weekend schedule
The weekend begins on Friday, 4 September, with FP1 scheduled for 11:30 BST and followed by FP2 at 15:00.
Saturday will feature the final practice session at 11:30 before qualifying is set to get underway at 15:00.
The main event takes place on Sunday, 6 September, with lights out scheduled for 14:00.
Race preview
The Italian Grand Prix is one of the most historic events on the Formula 1 calendar, having first been held in 1921.
Monza has hosted almost every edition of the Italian Grand Prix, with the exception of the 1980 race when the event was held at Imola.
The circuit remains one of the defining venues in F1, with its long straights and high-speed layout earning it the nickname the ‘Temple of Speed’.
It is also renowned for the passionate support of the Tifosi.
Ferrari will once again be hoping to deliver a memorable home performance, with Charles Leclerc having claimed victories at Monza in 2019 and 2024.
However, Hamilton and Michael Schumacher jointly hold the record for the most Italian Grand Prix victories, with five wins each.
The 2025 race was won by Max Verstappen, who took pole position before finishing ahead of Norris and Oscar Piastri.
With the championship fight now heating up, Monza could provide another fascinating battle between the leading teams.
The weather could also play a relatively minor role this weekend, with warm and sunny conditions expected throughout the three days of track action.
Temperatures are forecast to reach around 30°C, with minimal chance of rain, making for a hot, dry race in Italy.
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Predictions at Monza and drivers to look out for
With several drivers capable of challenging for victory, the Italian Grand Prix could produce another closely contested race.
Here are some of the names we could expect to see on the podium this weekend.
1 – Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
Antonelli heads to his home country as the championship leader and will be looking to extend his advantage at the top of the standings.
The Mercedes driver currently holds a 59-point lead over both Russell and Hamilton, giving him a significant cushion as the season enters its 13th round.
Monza will provide Antonelli with another opportunity to demonstrate why he has established himself as the driver to beat in the 2026 championship.
With Mercedes fighting at the front and Antonelli holding such a substantial points advantage, he is our pick to take victory in Italy.
2 – Lando Norris (McLaren)
Norris arrives at Monza with plenty of momentum after winning consecutive races for the first time in 2026.
The reigning world champion has significantly reduced the gap to the championship leader with his recent results, although Antonelli still holds a sizeable advantage.
Norris also finished second at last year’s Italian Grand Prix behind Verstappen, while McLaren occupied both second and third on the podium.
After his recent run of form, another podium finish looks well within Norris’ reach, and he is our pick to finish second.
3 – Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
Hamilton completes our predicted podium as Ferrari prepare for their home race at Monza.
The seven-time world champion is level with Russell in second place in the championship, 59 points behind Antonelli.
Ferrari will be hoping to give Hamilton and team-mate Leclerc a car capable of challenging at the front, particularly with the Tifosi behind them.
Hamilton’s record at Monza also makes him difficult to overlook.
He jointly holds the record for the most Italian Grand Prix victories with five wins, meaning the Ferrari driver knows exactly what it takes to succeed at the circuit.
A podium finish would give Hamilton another strong result in Ferrari’s home race and keep him firmly involved in the championship battle.
4 – George Russell (Mercedes)
Russell is another driver who should be firmly in contention at Monza.
The Mercedes driver is level with Hamilton in the championship standings and sits 59 points behind team-mate Antonelli.
With Mercedes having been the benchmark for much of the season, Russell should be considered a strong candidate for a podium finish if the team maintains its pace at Monza.
Russell has also shown strong consistency throughout the 2026 campaign, making him a driver capable of capitalising if either McLaren or Ferrari falter.
The high-speed nature of Monza should moreover suit Mercedes if the team can find the right balance between straight-line speed and cornering performance.
5 – Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Piastri is likewise worth keeping an eye on despite a difficult Dutch Grand Prix, where he finished sixth after a slow pit stop.
The McLaren driver has already demonstrated his competitiveness in 2026 and remains an important part of the championship picture.
With McLaren showing strong recent form through Norris’ back-to-back victories, Piastri could be capable of fighting towards the front at Monza.
The Australian will be hoping for a cleaner weekend this time around too, particularly after losing valuable points at Zandvoort.
If McLaren’s recent pace continues, Piastri should have the machinery to challenge for another podium and put himself back into the fight at the sharp end.
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Simon Wilkes