Charles Leclerc has set his sights on another Monza victory and a Ferrari one-two with Lewis Hamilton as the Scuderia prepares for its home Grand Prix. Meeting thousands of Ferrari supporters in the heart of Milan, the Monegasque driver promised maximum effort from both drivers and made clear just how much another success at the Italian Grand Prix would mean.
On a scorching early-September afternoon, Milan turned Ferrari red as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton appeared at Palazzo Reale ahead of Monza. Large numbers of supporters gathered for the Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% Drive to Monza event, which symbolically opened the week of the Italian Grand Prix and gave the two drivers another opportunity to connect with the Tifosi before attention shifts fully to the circuit.
Charles Leclerc targets another Ferrari victory at Monza
For Leclerc, the event was another chance to embrace the supporters ahead of the most eagerly anticipated race of Ferrari’s season. The Monegasque promised that the team would fight hard at its home Grand Prix, with expectations building around the 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
“Every time we come here to Monza, it is always a unique emotion. I grew up as a Ferrari fan, and now experiencing this as a driver is truly special,” Charles Leclerc explained.
The Ferrari driver then made clear what his ideal outcome would be on Sunday. “A victory at Monza would be the best. This week is unique for us. Honestly, it is an incredible boost. I really hope we can give these fans another victory on Sunday,” he added.
The atmosphere in Milan provided an early indication of the support awaiting the Scuderia at Monza, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton meeting Ferrari fans in Milan before the race weekend begins.
Leclerc wants Ferrari on the top two steps with Lewis Hamilton
Leclerc is not approaching the weekend assuming Ferrari will have an easy path to victory. He acknowledged that 2026 has produced some unexpected results, pointing to Spa and Silverstone as examples of weekends when the team had anticipated greater difficulty but ultimately performed well.
“It is a strange year, because at Spa and Silverstone we thought we would have more difficult weekends, but we did well. Honestly, we think the same about Monza, but we believe in it and we will give everything to try to be on the top two steps of the podium,” Charles Leclerc said.
That objective would put both Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton at the front of Ferrari’s home race, with the Monegasque aiming to add another victory to his already impressive Monza record. Leclerc has won the Italian Grand Prix twice, first in 2019 and again in 2024, achievements that have made the circuit one of the defining venues of his Ferrari career.
Ferrari brings ADUO-2 power unit upgrade to Monza
Securing a third Monza victory will nevertheless be difficult with the SF-26, particularly because the power unit has been one of the car’s weaker areas. Ferrari will, however, have an additional weapon available from this weekend in the form of ADUO-2.
The second power unit development permitted to Ferrari during the season is expected to provide an increase of approximately 12–15 horsepower. The ADUO-2 power unit upgrade for Monza therefore arrives at a particularly important moment as the Scuderia prepares to race in front of its home supporters.
For Leclerc, though, the emotional element remains just as powerful. Having grown up supporting Ferrari before eventually becoming one of its Formula 1 drivers, Monza remains a unique occasion. With Lewis Hamilton alongside him and the Tifosi preparing to fill the circuit, his objective could hardly be clearer: fight for another home victory and give Ferrari the chance to occupy both of the top two steps on Sunday.
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