Formula 1 Italian GP: how to watch, schedules and more

Formula 1 arrives this weekend for the Italian Grand Prix, the 13th round of the 2026 season. The race will be held on Sunday (6), at the Autodromo Nacional de Monza, one of the most traditional and important circuits in the category, with 52 laps.

The weekend maintains the traditional format, with three free practice sessions between Friday and Saturday and qualifying on Saturday morning. During free practice, Ferrari and Mercedes dominated the sessions. The first free practice was led by Charles Leclerc with a time of 1:23.008, while in the second free practice the mark was overtaken by George Russell, with a time of 1:22.559. Second and third place went to Leclerc and Antonelli, with a difference of +0.120 and +0.141, respectively.

After the Dutch Grand Prix, the drivers’ championship scenario took on new contours. George Russell stood out over the weekend by taking pole position, winning the sprint race and taking 3rd place on the podium, a result that equaled Lewis Hamilton in the Drivers’ World Championship. The two now have 183 points, just 59 less than Kimi Antonelli, leader of the championship.

The Dutch round also brought a positive surprise for Fernando Alonso’s fans. In the race, held at the end of August, the two-time champion crossed the finish line in ninth place after starting from 18th position, earning two points. With the result, Alonso has three points in the championship with Aston Martin and broke a historic drought in the category, becoming the driver over 45 years old to score points in Formula 1 in 52 years.

Even with his high performance on the track, Kimi Antonelli starts his weekend at home under penalty. The decision was confirmed on Thursday (3), and the championship leader will start from the back of the pack. The penalty came after Mercedes exceeded the limit of changes allowed for the car’s power unit. Toto Wolff, team principal, said that although Monza is a home race for the Italian prodigy, the circuit is one of the best places to serve the penalty, due to the long straights and the greater overtaking opportunities.

To celebrate the Monza GP and the 30th anniversary since Michael Schumacher signed with Ferrari, the team has prepared some surprises for the tifosi. The SF-26 arrives at Monza with a new livery, now completely red and with a retro touch, as well as special stickers, including Schumacher’s logo and seven stars on the nose. The seven stars appear again on the backs of Hamilton and Leclerc’s overalls.

Ferrari has also invited Sebastian Vettel to the celebration. The four-time champion will be present at Monza this Sunday to drive the Ferrari F2002, a car that was part of Schumacher’s fifth world title victory. Vettel will take to the track with the car for a celebratory lap around the circuit.

The weekend’s celebrations also extend to the Safety Car. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the debut of the Cars animation, the partnership between F1, Disney and Mercedes brought to the safety car a livery inspired by Lightning McQueen. In addition to the special livery, seven-time champion Lightning McQueen will take a lap of honor at the Italian circuit during the weekend.

Check out the schedule for the Italian Formula 1 GP (Brasília time):

In Brazil, Sunday’s race is broadcast by Globo, on open TV. All sessions of the weekend, including free practice and qualifying, will be broadcast on SporTV 3, Globoplay and F1 TV.