Formula 1 arrives at Monza for round 13 with the championship picture sharpening fast: Kimi Antonelli leads by 59 points but faces a grid penalty at his home race, while Ferrari brings an engine upgrade to its own backyard. Off track, a flurry of technical and personnel moves signal that teams are already thinking well beyond 2026.
Antonelli Takes Grid Penalty Into Monza Home Race
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli will start the Italian Grand Prix from the back of the grid after taking new power unit components, triggering a penalty. The 19-year-old Mercedes driver says he has nothing to lose and will go full attack from wherever he starts. Mercedes has also confirmed it will not introduce its ADUO engine upgrade at Monza, with that update now targeted for October.
With a 59-point cushion over both Russell and Hamilton, Antonelli can absorb a difficult Sunday better than anyone, but a recovery drive at a circuit where overtaking is notoriously dependent on raw straight-line speed is a genuine risk to that lead.
Source: Motorsport.com
McLaren's H-Wing Rotating Rear Wing Debuts at Monza
McLaren will introduce its own interpretation of the rotating rear wing at the Italian Grand Prix, branding it the H-Wing. The device flips 180 degrees and represents McLaren's first deployment of the concept that rivals have already been running. The team arrives at Monza 162 points behind Mercedes in the constructors standings.
McLaren debuting the H-Wing at the highest-speed circuit on the calendar is a calculated gamble: if it delivers meaningful straight-line gains, it could be the upgrade that closes the gap to Ferrari in the constructors fight, where just 75 points separate second from third.
Source: Autosport
Ferrari Brings Second ADUO Engine Upgrade to Home Race
Ferrari has confirmed it will introduce its second power unit upgrade under the ADUO scheme at the Italian Grand Prix, with Hamilton set to receive the updated engine. Haas, which uses Ferrari power, will only have one unit available and it will go to Oliver Bearman, leaving Esteban Ocon on the older specification. Hamilton described the step as a move forward but said it is not the full amount the team needs.
Deploying a power unit upgrade at Monza, the circuit most sensitive to engine performance, is smart timing from Ferrari and with Hamilton and Leclerc sitting third and fifth in the standings, any horsepower gain at this venue could translate directly into points on Sunday.
Source: Autosport
Red Bull Poaches Aston Martin's McCullough to Replace Lambiase
Red Bull has confirmed the signing of Tom McCullough, long-serving performance director at Aston Martin, as its new head of racing from 2027. McCullough replaces Gianpiero Lambiase, who is departing to join McLaren as chief race engineer in 2028. The move continues a significant reshaping of Red Bull's technical and operational structure.
Losing McCullough is another blow to an Aston Martin side that David Coulthard this week described as having only just hit rock bottom and it further strengthens the case that the team's medium-term trajectory depends heavily on its 2027 car rather than any 2026 recovery.
Source: Autosport
F1 Grands Prix Set to Shrink to 290km From 2027
Formula 1 races are set to be shortened to 290km from the current 305km minimum in 2027, driven by changes to the balance between electrical and internal combustion power under the new technical regulations. The adjustment has been under discussion since the 2026 rules were first framed. Drivers at Monza this week were already discussing energy management as a dominant theme under the current formula.
The irony is hard to miss: as Monza drivers complain about crawling through corners to conserve battery, the sport is formalising shorter races rather than addressing the underlying energy deployment rules that are making circuits like the Temple of Speed feel pedestrian.
Source: Motorsport.com
Alonso Says Regulation Changes Will Decide His F1 Future
Fernando Alonso stated at Monza media day that his decision on whether to continue in Formula 1 beyond 2026 hinges more on regulatory changes than on his on-track results. The 45-year-old's contract with Aston Martin expires at the end of this season. Alonso said a points finish at Zandvoort was not sufficient evidence to commit to staying on.
This is speculation territory for now, but Alonso's framing is notable: if the 2027 rules reduce race distances and alter energy deployment, he may judge the racing product itself rather than his car's competitiveness, which makes his decision genuinely unpredictable.
Source: Autosport
