Round 13 of 22 · Italian Grand Prix

Italian Grand Prix

3:00 PM GMT+2 · Monza · Monza

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Monza

Monza, Italy · Europe/Rome

Autodromo Nazionale Monza, the Temple of Speed, is a 5.793 km (3.600 miles) circuit set within the Royal Park of Monza north of Milan. Its 11 corners span a 53-lap race distance of 306.720 km. Monza has hosted the Italian Grand Prix almost every year since the F1 World Championship began in 1950. Cars reach over 340 km/h on the long straights; qualifying averages exceed 260 km/h. Lando Norris holds the lap record at 1:20.901, set in 2025.

The layout is defined by long straights and heavy braking zones. The first chicane, Variante del Rettifilo, is where the field arrives at enormous speed on the opening lap, producing countless first-lap incidents over the decades. The Curva Grande sweeps right at high speed before the Variante della Roggia chicane. The two Lesmo corners demand precision on entry, while the Ascari chicane tests car stability. Two DRS zones on the main straight and the straight between Curva Grande and the second chicane create excellent slipstreaming and overtaking opportunities. Teams run minimal downforce configurations specific to Monza.

Monza has hosted some of the most emotional moments in F1 history. On 6 September 2020, Pierre Gasly won a stunning race for AlphaTauri after a red flag restart, one of the great underdog victories. On 12 September 2021, Daniel Ricciardo led a McLaren 1-2 with Lando Norris. On 14 September 2008, Sebastian Vettel took his first F1 victory for Toro Rosso in wet conditions at the age of 21. The Tifosi flooding the track after a Ferrari victory remains one of the most iconic scenes in the sport.

The timezone is Europe/Rome at CEST (UTC+2). A 14:00 local start is 12:00 GMT and 08:00 EDT. The timing mirrors most European races, with a comfortable afternoon slot for the continent and a morning start for the Americas. The September date places the Italian Grand Prix at the tail end of the European summer. Check Italy time and Milan time for conversions.

September in Monza is warm, with temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius and the occasional late-summer thunderstorm. The park setting, with mature trees lining the approaches to the circuit, gives Monza an atmosphere of old-world grandeur that no modern facility can replicate. Milan, just 15 km to the south, provides world-class dining, fashion, and culture for visitors extending their trip beyond race weekend.

See the full race schedule and session times at the Italian Grand Prix page.

The 2026 Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza starts at 14:00 CEST (UTC+2) on Sunday 6 September. The circuit runs 53 laps over 306.72 km at the fastest average speed of any race on the calendar.

This is not a sprint weekend. Practice, qualifying, and the race run across the standard three-day format.

The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is the Temple of Speed. No circuit on the calendar rewards outright velocity like this one. The long straights through the Royal Park of Monza produce the highest average speeds of the entire season, and the low-downforce configurations teams bring here look visibly different from what they run anywhere else. The circuit has hosted a Grand Prix every year since the World Championship began in 1950, with the sole exception of 1980.

Monza’s history is inseparable from Ferrari’s. The Tifosi have witnessed some of the sport’s most emotional moments here. Charles Leclerc won for Ferrari in 2019 to scenes of wild celebration. In 2020, Pierre Gasly scored a shock maiden victory for AlphaTauri after a red flag restart, one of the biggest upsets in modern F1. The old banked oval still sits alongside the modern layout, crumbling and overgrown, a reminder of the 1961 Italian Grand Prix where Wolfgang von Trips and 15 spectators lost their lives. In 2024, Charles Leclerc delivered a commanding victory from fourth on the grid, using a one-stop strategy, that sent the Tifosi into rapture.

For European fans, the 14:00 CEST start is a comfortable Sunday afternoon. UK viewers tune in at 13:00 BST. North American audiences get a morning slot at 08:00 Eastern and 05:00 Pacific. Australian fans face a 22:00 AEST start, while Asian viewers watch at 20:00 JST and 20:00 CST. Check Italy time for the exact start in your location.

Under the 2026 regulations, the active aerodynamic systems should come into their own at Monza. The new ground-effect philosophy will fundamentally change how cars interact through the Variante del Rettifilo chicane and into the braking zone at Ascari. With Lewis Hamilton now wearing red for the Scuderia, the emotional charge of this race has an entirely new dimension, and a Hamilton victory at Monza in Ferrari colors would be one of the defining moments of the season.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time did the Italian Grand Prix start?

The Italian Grand Prix started at 15:00 local time in Monza on 2026-09-06. This page shows the start time converted to your local timezone.

Where is the Italian Grand Prix held?

The Italian Grand Prix takes place at Monza in Monza, Italy.

Was the Italian Grand Prix a sprint weekend?

No, the Italian Grand Prix ran the standard weekend format with practice, qualifying, and the race.