The great celebration of the 2026 Formula 1 Pirelli Italian Grand Prix has begun. Today, Friday, September 4, thousands of fans flocked to the Autodromo Nazionale Monza for the first day of the most eagerly awaited weekend of the season, giving the Temple of Speed an atmosphere worthy of a major event already.

The track verdict saw the two Scuderia Ferrari HP cars emerge as the absolute protagonists in the first free practice session. Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets with a 1:23.008, ahead of his teammate Lewis Hamilton, who was second in 1:23.181.

There was also huge enthusiasm for Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The Italian Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver, cheered on by the home crowd, set the fifth-fastest time in 1:23.644. Antonelli, who will be forced to start from the back of the grid on Sunday, nevertheless gave the fans at the circuit an encouraging performance.

In the second free practice session, the fastest time was set instead by George Russell, Antonelli’s teammate and one of the leading contenders in the fight for the World Championship.

The Briton stopped the clock at 1:22.559, corresponding to an average speed of 252.604 km/h, finishing just 0.120 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc. Andrea Kimi Antonelli set the third-fastest time, delivering a particularly strong FP2 performance in front of the Italian crowd.

The competitive order therefore remains extremely close, leaving all scenarios open ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying session.

Ferrari has dedicated this weekend to Michael Schumacher: the two cars are running in a special livery inspired by the Ferrari F310, the car with which Michael began his Ferrari adventure in 1996. Leclerc has also chosen a helmet inspired by the one used by the seven-time World Champion, adding another symbolic element to an already emotional weekend.

The 1996 F310 and the 2006 248 F1 are on display at Monza. The latter was the car with which the German driver concluded his Ferrari career on the racetrack. With these two cars, Schumi claimed his first and last victories at Monza.

The third star of the exhibition is the Ferrari F2002, with which Schumacher won the 2022 title. Tomorrow afternoon at 5:45 p.m., Rubens Barrichello will take the car out on track, while on Sunday morning it will be Sebastian Vettel’s turn at 11 a.m.

Tomorrow, qualifying day, it will not be just the track that takes centre stage.

From 5:30 p.m., the Grand Prix Fan Zone will be transformed into a genuine open-air cinema for a special screening of Cars, marking the 20th anniversary of the film’s release.

The movie will be shown in English with Italian subtitles, allowing fans to relive the adventures of Lightning McQueen and the unforgettable characters of Radiator Springs.

It is an event designed for the whole family, bringing an additional moment of entertainment to the heart of the season’s most eagerly awaited weekend and providing the perfect finale to a day whose main highlight will be the Grand Prix qualifying session.

Tomorrow will also feature a particularly special honour: the driver who secures pole position for the Italian Grand Prix will be presented with the Anello della Regina, an award supported and sponsored by the Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Monza. The ring is inspired by the Iron Crown, featuring elements recalling the chequered flag and the colours of the Italian flag, along with precious gemstones. It will be a unique piece, created exclusively for the event and personalised for the winner. So far, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen have had the honour of wearing it. Who will be next this year?

The celebration has only just begun. Tomorrow, with qualifying, the Temple of Speed will come alive once again.