Zandvoort's rollercoaster ride of banked corners and undulations over sand dunes starkly contrasts F1's fastest track, where low-downforce wings and high speeds await the 20 drivers in a Milanese park.
One of those drivers is a brand-new name, too. Franco Colapinto will replace Williams' Logan Sargeant for the remainder of the 2024 season. The 21-year-old Argentine is being dropped in the deep end in a surprise mid-season swap after Team Principal James Vowles looks to have lost faith in Sargeant. It's rare to see changes in the cockpit outside of Red Bull's two teams, so expect far more coverage of the Grove-based team than you may be used to.
Keeping with F1's newest name for a moment, Colapinto is joining Williams at an opportune moment. Aside from the slight problem of a technical disqualification in the Dutch GP's qualifying, Alex Albon qualified well. He beat Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz on pure pace and was P8 before being kicked to the back for the race. Monza is a track where Williams has fared well in recent years, including on Nyck de Vries' F1 debut for Williams in 2022. It could be a perfect storm for the rookie, who can't stay at the team after the season's end after they signed Carlos Sainz for 2025.
Believe it or not, how Colapinto fares in the FW46 is not the only new-name story of the weekend. Another driver also more used to racing in F2 machinery will make their F1 debut in FP1, and speculation suggests a contract announcement too. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes' long-time protogé will step into George Russell's car on Friday in front of his home crowd. The 18-year-old Italian racer looks set to take over Hamilton's vacated seat for 2025, and how he handles the pressure of sharing the garage with the seven-time champion will be a major talking point.
Of course, familiar names are racing in Italy, too. Lando Norris and Max Verstappen will resume their battle to see if the one-horse championship fight might have two runners in it. Norris narrowly missed out on taking a first F1 victory in Monza during the 2021 season. If his winning ways continue on Sunday, the gap to Verstappen will narrow to 63 points, or potentially fewer if Verstappen can't reach the podium. It's been five races since the Dutchman's last victory — his longest winless streak since 2020.
Unsurprisingly, for a circuit filled with straights, it's the softest three Pirelli compounds available. The C3, C4, and C5 options will be what the drivers will use on newly-laid Italian asphalt. The resurfacing is part of a wider renovation for Monza and will be something the teams will monitor closely in Free Practice to see if the tyres behave any differently.
Unlike the unpredictability that blighted Friday and Saturday over the Dutch GP to force the Intermediate and Wet Pirelli tyres' usage, weather forecasts do not have any rain around; it's the opposite, with highs of 33°C expected on race day. With Monza usually the fastest race of the year, making the tyres work best in the heat will be the key to victory.
It's suddenly looking like each race is now Norris' to lose rather than Verstappen's. That's quite a situation for a driver with only two Grand Prix wins under their belt, but McLaren has developed a rocket ship. The Briton's margin of victory last Sunday was the greatest of the 2024 season to date, and seemed like a statement of intent. Norris might not have another chance as great as this to mount a title challenge, and he looks to be making the most of his opportunity.
However, another driver is racing for McLaren, and Oscar Piastri could be the fly in Norris' title-hope ointment. Norris had to settle for P2 behind Daniel Ricciardo at Monza three years ago, and Hungary showed that team orders to hold station are still in place at the papaya-coloured team. Piastri's race pace doesn't seem as quick as Norris', but if he can outqualify his older teammate or beat him to Turn 1, anything could happen.
Verstappen, too, is far from uncompetitive. He still is the championship leader by a significant margin, and he was the one to lead the opening laps of the last race after beating Norris off the line. His Red Bull isn't performing as well as he'd like, but he still beat 18 of 19 drivers despite his car's limitations in Zandvoort. Don't write off Ferrari, either, who might cook up something special for their frenzied Tifosi watching on from the Italian grandstands.
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F1 is leaving Europe after this round, so the 2 PM Sunday coverage slot will begin to wobble as the flyaway races resume. Qualifying will be at 3 PM on Saturday if you're looking to watch both competitive sessions live.
Qualifying – On air: 2:15 PM, Session start: 3 PM Saturday 31st August
Race – On air: 12:30 PM, Session start: 2 PM Sunday 1st September
Qualifying – Highlights: 5:30 PM Saturday 31st August
Race – Highlights: 5:30 PM Sunday 1st September
Qualifying/Race – It's going to be a scorching weekend in Italy for the F1 circus to soak up the sun. The chance of rain is virtually nil, and that afternoon high of 33°C is countered by a morning "low" of 22°C.