In Pictures: Italy 2026
The Italian Grand Prix at magical Monza is Pirelli’s home race and one of the most cherished events on the Formula 1 calendar, thanks to the passion of the fans and the rich history of the circuit that hosts it. The Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio d’Italia 2026 once again provided a spectacular weekend at the legendary Temple of Speed.
Pirelli’s connection with the Temple of Speed, Europe’s most historic racing circuit, extends far beyond the proximity between the Italian company’s headquarters and the autodrome. It is also rooted in the many victories achieved on Pirelli tires at Monza. Among them was Pietro Bordino’s victory in a Fiat 804 at the Grand Prix that inaugurated the newly built circuit on September 10, 1922.
THE CIRCUIT
The 5.793-km (3.600-mile) Autodromo Nazionale Monza features 11 corners and is one of the fastest circuits on the Formula 1 calendar, thanks in part to its long straights. This year, those straights presented an additional challenge for energy management with the new-generation power units.
This was the 77th edition of the Italian Grand Prix, one of the longest-running races on the Formula 1 calendar. It has been held at Monza on every occasion except one, when it took place at Imola. The drivers with the most victories are Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, with five wins apiece, while Ferrari is the most successful team with 20 victories. Hamilton also holds the records for pole positions at Monza, with seven, and fastest laps, also with seven.
Among the current drivers, Pierre Gasly claimed his maiden Formula 1 victory at the Temple of Speed, winning the 2020 Italian Grand Prix at the wheel of an AlphaTauri and delivering the team's first victory under its new name.
FRIDAY
George Russell was the fastest driver on Friday at Monza, setting a time of 1:22.559. The Mercedes driver finished ahead of Charles Leclerc and team-mate Kimi Antonelli. Leclerc stopped the clocks at 1:22.679, while Antonelli recorded a 1:22.700. All three set their best times on the Soft compound. Ambient temperatures reached 35°C (95°F), while track temperatures peaked at 47.5°C (117.5°F).
Charles Leclerc was the fastest driver in the opening free practice session. The Monegasque posted a lap of 1:23.008, finishing more than a tenth of a second clear of Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton in second place. George Russell was third with a time of 1:23.312.
SATURDAY
Pierre Gasly edged out George Russell and Oscar Piastri with a time of 1:21.786, securing his first pole position in Formula 1. Russell posted a 1:21.846, while the McLaren racer stopped the clocks at 1:21.966. All three qualifying sessions took place in very hot conditions, with air temperatures exceeding 35°C (95°F) and track temperatures reaching 49°C (120.2°F).
Russell was quickest in FP3 with a lap of 1:22.219. Lewis Hamilton finished second, ahead of Max Verstappen. Only the Medium and Soft compounds were used during the session. Alex Albon completed the highest number of laps on the same set of Soft tires, with 19 laps, while Pierre Gasly logged the most laps on the same set of Mediums, with 17.
SUNDAY
Kimi Antonelli won the Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio d’Italia after a spectacular recovery drive. The Mercedes driver secured victory in his home race from 19th on the grid as a result of a power-unit penalty. Team-mate George Russell finished second, while Max Verstappen took third place.
On the second lap, after dropping from second to fourth, Charles Leclerc lost control of his Ferrari on the approach to the Alboreto corner and hit the barriers, bringing out the red flag. Thankfully, Leclerc was unhurt, although understandably shaken. The stoppage allowed all drivers to replace the tires on which they had started.
Antonelli, who had started on the Hard compound, switched to Mediums during the stoppage. Russell did exactly the opposite, switching from Mediums to Hards, and then completed the race on the C3 Hard tires fitted at that time. Antonelli adopted a different strategy, taking advantage of the Virtual Safety Car on lap 29 to pit for a fresh set of Medium tires. Verstappen also stopped during the neutralization, switching from Mediums to Hards after starting the race on Softs.
The Grand Prix took place in particularly hot conditions, with air temperatures reaching around 34°C (93.2°F) and track temperatures exceeding 50°C (122°F). All three tire compounds were used during the race.
Ferrari honored legendary driver Michael Schumacher with a special car livery and emotional on-track celebrations. The weekend marked 30 years since Schumacher joined Ferrari and won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in 1996. As part of the celebrations, Rubens Barrichello drove Schumacher’s F2002 on Saturday, while Sebastian Vettel drove the car on Sunday, completing several laps and performing donuts before the Grand Prix.
It was fitting to hear the German and Italian anthems on the podium, albeit the other way around.
Kimi Antonelli became the first Italian driver to win his home Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966, ending a 60-year wait for an Italian victory at Monza.
Media courtesy of Pirelli S.p.A., Getty Images, DPPI, and the official Formula 1 team press offices. All images are provided via Getty Images through the respective team media platforms and are credited to their rightful copyright holders. Photos not for sale.
