Formula 1 action is back in full swing and next up on the calendar is Monza, also known as the “Temple of Speed.”
McLaren’s Lando Norris sealed back-to-back victories after winning the Dutch Grand Prix to kick off the second half of the season last time out.
Kimi Antonelli is leading the championship by 59 points and following behind is his teammate George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton both in second.
The Italian youngster will be hit with a grid penalty at his home race for taking a new engine.
So you don’t miss a thing, here’s everything you need to know about the Italian Grand Prix.
Italian Grand Prix schedule
Friday, September 4
Practice One: 6:20 a.m. ET on TSN Premium
Practice Two: 9:45 a.m. ET on TSN2, TSN Premium
Saturday, September 5
Practice Three: 6:20 a.m. ET on TSN Premium
Qualifying: 9 a.m. ET on TSN5, TSN Premium
Sunday, September 6
Italian Grand Prix: 10 a.m. ET on TSN5, TSN Premium
How to watch
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The “Temple of Speed” is known for it’s long straights and heavy braking zones, and is the fastest track in Formula 1 history by overall average lap speed.
It’s another classic circuit that has been on the calendar since 1950, only missing one year of racing in 1980 due to upgrading the track infrastructure.
It has one of the best podiums in the world as the famous Ferrari-loving tifosi flood onto the track after the race is finished. It’s always a sight to be seen, especially if you are a Ferrari driver or an Italian driver.
Italian Grand Prix
Circuit: Autodromo Nazionale Monza; Monza, Italy
Previous winners
2016: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes2017: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes2018: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes2019: Charles Leclerc, Ferrari2020: Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri2021: Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren2022: Max Verstappen, Red Bull2023: Max Verstappen, Red Bull2024: Charles Leclerc, Ferrari2025: Max Verstappen, Red Bull
Other key stats
First F1 race: 1950
Lap record: 1:18.792, Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Laps: 53 laps of 5.8km. Total distance 306km
Most poles: Lewis Hamilton has seven at this circuit (2009, 2012, 2014-2017, 2020). Other pole sitters from the grid are Fernando Alonso (2007, 2010), Charles Leclerc (2019, 2022), Max Verstappen (2021 and 2025), Carlos Sainz (2023) and Lando Norris (2024).
Most wins: Lewis Hamilton (2012, 2014-2015, 2017-2018) and Michael Schumacher (1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006) are tied on five wins each. Other winners from the current grid are Fernando Alonso (2007, 2010), Pierre Gasly (2020), Charles Leclerc (2019, 2024) and Max Verstappen (2022, 2023 and 2025).
Weather forecast
The weather for the Italian Grand Prix is forecast to be sunny all weekend with light winds, with highs of 32°C on Sunday.
What happened last year?
Max Verstappen set the pace with the fastest lap in F1 history after getting pole position in Monza.
The Dutchman set a time of 1:18.792 breaking Hamilton’s record from 2020.
It was McLaren’s Norris who was on provisional pole before Verstappen beat him to the line in the closing stages.
Verstappen then went on to win the race in commanding fashion, but there were some team orders taking place at McLaren.
Norris was running in second for the majority of the race, but after a slow pit-stop, the team asked Oscar Piastri to move aside and let him teammate back through for second place.
At the time, Piastri was leading the championship from Norris by 31 points.
Who will win this year?
The biggest news entering the weekend will be Antonelli’s engine penalty that will hamper his opportunity to score maximum points during the race.
He leads the championship after winning six races, but title fights can change quickly, as we saw during the backend of the 2025 season.
McLaren’s upgrades have certainly been working, but team boss Andrea Stella said that Monza will be the true benchmark in terms of its performance and progress.
Ferrari will be hungry to get a home win with either of its drivers, but Monza will typically suit those strong in straight line speed and high-speed corners, such as Mercedes.
Monza could be one of the best opportunities to close the gap in the title race and take advantage of Antonelli not being a threat at the front of the pack.
