Ferrari made the strongest possible start to the 2026 Italian Grand Prix weekend, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton delivering a one-two in the opening practice session at Monza. Although FP1 offered only an initial indication of the competitive order, the SF-26 immediately appeared well balanced mechanically and particularly effective in the way Ferrari managed hybrid energy deployment around Formula 1’s Temple of Speed.
There were several major themes to assess as the Monza weekend began, including Ferrari’s new Power Unit, Kimi Antonelli’s back-of-grid start and the still-uncertain performance levels of Red Bull and McLaren. The first practice session inevitably remained exploratory, revealing the starting points chosen by the teams rather than their definitive potential for qualifying and the race. Even so, Ferrari’s early performance provided some encouraging clues after the extensive work carried out on the SF-26 Power Unit package for Monza.
Ferrari looks the best-sorted team in Monza FP1
Ferrari undoubtedly made the cleanest start. The SF-26 appeared particularly well sorted both in terms of its mechanical set-up and the clearly defined choices surrounding energy deployment, an especially important factor on a circuit as demanding as Monza.
The data showed a similar approach for both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. After beginning with several laps at relatively conservative engine settings, Ferrari increased the available power and used the medium tyres to explore more of the car’s performance envelope. That does not mean the fastest times were simply the result of aggressive Power Unit usage. The impression was that the Ferraris were genuinely among the best-balanced cars on the circuit.
The SF-26 appeared to be running a relatively soft suspension set-up that worked remarkably well through the slower sections. At the same time, the progressive suspension calibration allowed the car to remain low and efficient on the straights while retaining strong responsiveness through the faster corners. That mechanical compromise is particularly valuable at Monza, where cars must handle aggressive kerbs and slow chicanes without sacrificing stability or straight-line efficiency.
Ferrari has also prepared specific changes to reduce drag and improve the overall efficiency of the car, including the SF-26 FTM modification introduced for Monza. Friday’s opening running suggested that the Scuderia had arrived with a useful baseline from which to continue developing the car.
Ferrari’s Monza power deployment strategy pays off
One of the most interesting aspects of Ferrari’s FP1 performance was the way the team distributed electrical energy around the lap. The SF-26 deployed more energy than its rivals on the first straight, between the beginning of the lap and the opening chicane, before adopting a more conservative approach through much of the middle section.
Ferrari then increased its deployment significantly again after Ascari, releasing considerably more energy along the straight towards the Parabolica than almost all of its rivals. George Russell, for example, was recorded at 9 km/h slower approaching the braking zone for the final corner.
For the moment, that strategy appears to be effective because Ferrari is maximising deployment in an area where its rivals seem to struggle more. The trade-off is particularly visible on the run between Lesmo 2 and Ascari, where the SF-26 sacrifices some acceleration and top-end performance. Ferrari partly compensates for that loss, however, with a strong exit from the second Lesmo.
The deployment pattern is particularly interesting in light of Ferrari’s latest ADUO-2 turbo and Power Unit developments. Monza represents an extreme test of both outright power and energy management, meaning the way Ferrari distributes its available electrical energy can be just as significant as the maximum output of the engine itself.
George Russell emerges as Ferrari’s main early rival
Mercedes currently appears to be the second force, with George Russell looking like the most immediate rival to Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. The Mercedes showed an overall level of energy deployment similar to Ferrari’s, but the distribution around the lap was almost exactly the opposite.
Mercedes used relatively little energy on the first and final straights while deploying more heavily through the central part of the circuit. George Russell was also highly effective through the faster corners but appeared to have greater difficulty in the slower sections.
One possible explanation is a stiffer mechanical set-up at this stage of the weekend. That would help the W17 under the substantial lateral loads generated in the high-speed corners but could make the car less compliant over the kerbs in Monza’s chicanes.
Mercedes has not yet shown particularly high peaks in Power Unit performance with either George Russell or Kimi Antonelli, whose car may or may not already have been fitted with the new engine. That unit, it should be remembered, is of the same specification as the previous one. Mercedes therefore appears to have some margin available from the Power Unit side as the weekend develops.
Antonelli’s weekend also has an unusual strategic dimension because he is due to start from the back of the grid after taking new engine components. The Mercedes driver is consequently placing greater emphasis on race preparation, with more detail available on Kimi Antonelli’s Monza recovery target and race-focused approach.
McLaren and Red Bull cannot yet be ruled out
It is still much too early to exclude either McLaren or Red Bull from the battle for the important positions. With Max Verstappen absent as part of the rookie rotation, Liam Lawson recorded an excellent time and was, according to the data, particularly quick through the two Lesmo corners.
That is an area where a Red Bull would not necessarily have been expected to be especially competitive, suggesting that the Milton Keynes team could still be capable of fighting near the front, at least in qualifying.
McLaren, meanwhile, appeared to remain in the optimisation phase and again showed some difficulty in the slower corners. That characteristic is already well known, but it carries considerable weight at Monza because performance through the slow chicanes has a major influence on the final lap time.
Race simulations point to an extremely close Italian GP battle
The longer runs offered another reason not to draw firm conclusions from Ferrari’s FP1 one-two. The average race-simulation pace of Kimi Antonelli, George Russell, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris was separated by only 92 thousandths of a second overall.
Such a small margin suggests the leading teams could be operating at a very similar level once fuel loads, tyre usage and engine modes become more representative. Ferrari’s early advantage is therefore encouraging, but there is little evidence yet of a decisive gap over Mercedes or McLaren.
For Charles Leclerc, the first practice session also offered the initial real-world assessment of the developments he had discussed before the weekend, having previously remained cautious about the gains suggested by simulation. Ferrari’s engine and floor upgrades for the Italian Grand Prix will now be evaluated in greater detail as track conditions evolve and the teams begin to increase their performance levels.
FP1 therefore provided Ferrari with a highly promising starting point rather than a definitive verdict. The SF-26 looked mechanically composed, its energy-deployment strategy appeared effective and both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were immediately competitive. George Russell, however, remains close enough to represent a serious threat, while McLaren and Red Bull cannot yet be discounted.
The next step will be to see how those performance trends evolve in the second free practice session, when the teams should move closer to their representative qualifying and race configurations. Further analysis of Ferrari’s development programme and the behaviour of the SF-26 throughout the weekend can be found in our Ferrari technical analysis coverage.
Leave a Reply