The Italian GP 2025 arrives with more history and spectacle than ever before. Monza will host its 75th Formula 1 World Championship race, cementing its status as the cathedral of speed and passion.
Beyond tradition, the stakes on track could not be higher. The ultra-fast straights of the Autodromo Nazionale Monza promise slipstream battles and bold strategy calls, while Ferrari chase redemption in front of the Tifosi.
Italian GP 2025 Weekend Breakdown
The Italian GP 2025 weekend packs a full triple bill with F1, F2, and F3 on track from Friday through Sunday. Expect back-to-back sessions, packed grandstands, and a timetable that rewards early planning.
Meanwhile, Pirelli’s 500 GP celebrations continue at home with special branding on all slick tyres and a pre-race photo call. Below you’ll find the full session schedule for all three series.
Circuit Guide: Monza Setup & Passing
Monza is F1’s quickest exam paper. The 5.793-km ribbon runs at full chat for ~80% of the lap, with skinny wings, giant stops and slipstream games deciding everything from sector deltas to team orders. It’s also the most-used venue in championship history and, this year, hosts its 75th World Championship Italian GP at the Autodromo Nazionale.
Two long DRS blasts bookend a lap that’s all about top speed, braking stability and traction off chicanes. You rocket past the speed trap towards Rettifilo, clatter kerbs through Prima Variante, breathe for Biassono, then stitch Roggia and the Lesmos before threading Ascari and committing to Curva Alboreto (Parabolica) for a slingshot to the line. Any imbalance shows up instantly in straight-line drag or rear-axle snap on exit. Cars spend ~76% of lap time (82% of lap distance) flat—only here. That makes setup execution at the Italian GP 2025 uniquely unforgiving.
Expect towing tactics to decide Q3—one car punches the air to Rettifilo, the other banks the lap. That trade-off will define track position at the Italian GP 2025.
- Length / laps / distance: 5.793 km • 53 laps • 306.72 km
- Race-pace record: 247.586 km/h average (Schumacher, 2003) — still the benchmark for fastest GP
- Full-throttle zones: Vmax on the 1.1-km pit straight; two DRS zones set up most moves into Turn 1 and Turn 4.
Race lap records by each series:
- F1 – 1:21.046 – Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari) – 2004
- F2 – 1:30.982 – Nobuharu Matsushita (ART Grand Prix) – 2017
- F3 – 1:37.559 – Alexander Smolyar (MP Motorsport) – 2022
Weather Outlook
Friday – September 5
Conditions: Showery clearance at dawn with the rain band sliding east; by late morning the sun breaks through and the rest of the day trends mostly sunny and dry. Light south-westerly breeze (cross-headwind into Rettifilo). Track evolution will be high after the wet start.
Temperatures: Max 27°C / Min 17°C • Chance of rain: 60% (mainly before noon).
F3 Practice → drying track, low-20s; grip ramps quickly.
F2 Practice → largely dry; residual damp off-line in the chicanes possible.
F1 FP1 → ambient ~26°C, stable breeze.
F3 Qualifying & F2 Qualifying → peak temperatures.
F1 FP2 → sun lower, slight drop in track temp; long-run data window.
Saturday – September 6
Conditions: Mostly sunny all day with just passing high cloud. Light southerly wind; no meaningful gust risk. Dry surface from the first green flag.
Temperatures: Max 27°C / Min 16°C • Chance of rain: 0%.
F3 Sprint → coolest part of the day; tyre warm-up key into Turn 1.
F1 FP3 → quali sims on a rubbering track ~26°C.
F2 Sprint → thermal degradation modest.
F1 Qualifying → golden hour; light tail/cross-wind nuances into Ascari.
Sunday – September 7
Conditions: Sunny, dry and settled from sunrise to chequered flag. Gentle southerly breeze; no rain signal.
Temperatures: Max 27°C / Min 17°C • F1 race start: ~27°C • Chance of rain: 0%.
F3 Feature → cool ambient; watch for early-stint graining if pushing.
F2 Feature → warming fast; overcut viable with low degradation.
F1 Grand Prix → classic Monza one-stop weather window; negligible wind impact and stable track temps for strategy execution.
Tyre & Strategy Briefing
F1: C3–C4–C5 and One-Stop Bias
Tyre strategy often decides the Italian GP 2025 more than raw pace. Pirelli bring the same trio as last year: C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium) and C5 (Soft). With the 2024 resurfacing now bedded-in, graining risk should trend lower, pushing teams toward Hard/Medium as the race staples and saving the C5 mostly for qualifying or short early stints.
Monza’s low-drag trims mean minimal DRS effect and huge time loss in the pit lane, so the classic one-stop remains the baseline. The swing factor is heat: a hot Lombardy Sunday can spike wear and make a two-stop (Medium-Medium-Hard or Medium-Hard-Medium) genuinely competitive—especially if a Safety Car compresses the field and hands out “cheap” stops.
Photo Credit: Alpine F1 Team
F2: Supersoft/Soft—Window Management
Pirelli make a strategic shift in the Monza Formula 2 lineup — supplanting the 2024 Medium with the Soft, while keeping the Supersoft as the softest option. This more aggressive pairing heightens the importance of tyre management, especially in heavy traffic, where late-stint degradation can make or break a run.
Now, Feature Race strategies will likely mirror last year — with most drivers starting on Supersoft before switching, but with added pressure to avoid mistakes mid-stint. A Safety Car, like the one that boosted Gabriel Bortoleto’s incredible from-last-to-first 2024 win, can flip the race. Those unable to manage Soft wear amid tow trains could find themselves exposed when the pit window opens. It’s a delicate setup where managing early speed and tyre preservation may be just as crucial as outright pace.
F3: Soft for Races, Medium FP-Only
For the season finale at Monza, F3 teams return with a familiar choice: Soft and Medium compounds, as carried over from Budapest—where Rafael Câmara secured the title. Per regulations, the harder Medium is only available in Free Practice, placing strategic weight on managing the softer tyres during the races.
A year after Monza was resurfaced, the track remains consistent, offering predictable grip. That said, tyre degradation could be notable, especially toward the closing laps. Drivers who excel at preserving the Soft—particularly through tow trains and braking zones like Ascari and Parabolica stand to gain. Those who can’t manage wear may find themselves compromising pace just when it matters most.
Form Guide: What to Expect (F1 / F2 / F3)
F1
McLaren arrive as the team to beat. Oscar Piastri has the wind at his back and a 34-point cushion after Zandvoort, while Lando Norris needs a clean rebound weekend to keep the title pulse strong. Monza’s recipe—long drags, big stops, skinny wings—suits the MCL39’s platform control, but qualifying execution will decide lane choice into Rettifilo. Expect tow choreography to be ruthless: one car punches a hole, the other cashes the lap.
Red Bull are closer on Sundays than they look on Fridays. Max Verstappen’s straight-line efficiency and brake stability keep him firmly in the win frame, especially if McLaren split strategies. Yuki Tsunoda’s recovery pace last time out hints at a better balance window for the RB21 in low-downforce trim.
Mercedes trend steady rather than spectacular. George Russell’s race craft and tyre care travel well here, but Andrea Kimi Antonelli must bank a tidy, penalty-free run. And Ferrari face a different pressure: home weekend, hot grandstands, and a car that can be peaky over kerbs. Charles Leclerc needs a drama-free Saturday; but he headline is Lewis Hamilton’s five-place grid drop for failing to slow sufficiently under double yellows at pit entry in Zandvoort—early homework is track position.
Aston Martin’s race pace has quietly improved; double points at Zandvoort underline that Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso can harvest if the leaders blink. Williams are live outsiders: Alex Albon’s top-five charge and Carlos Sainz’s one-lap punch give them nuisance value in quali trains. And circle Isack Hadjar—fresh off a breakthrough podium, the Racing Bulls rookie has the calm hands for Monza’s braking zones.
Rookie Watch
Alexander Dunne and Paul Aron will join the grid for FP1. Dunne takes his second McLaren outing after Spielberg, while Aron makes his Alpine debut in place of Franco Colapinto. Their mileage adds intrigue to the Italian GP 2025 weekend preview and underlines the pathway from F2 to F1.
What Happened in 2024
The 2024 Italian Grand Prix delivered Ferrari glory on home soil as Charles Leclerc executed a bold one-stop strategy to take victory at Monza, Ferrari’s first at the Temple of Speed since 2019. Lando Norris led away from pole, but Oscar Piastri seized the advantage at the second chicane and controlled much of the early running. Strategy flipped the order, with Ferrari gambling on longevity while McLaren opted for fresher tyres.
Leclerc stretched his hards to the flag, thrilling the Tifosi with a masterful defence to finish ahead of Piastri and Norris, who completed the podium. Carlos Sainz faded to fourth on worn tyres, while Lewis Hamilton – in his final Monza appearance with Mercedes – came home fifth. Behind, Verstappen settled for sixth and Franco Colapinto impressed on debut, finishing 12th for Williams.
Photo Credit: Scuderia Ferrari – Leclerc celebrate win at Monza
F2 – Title Picture & Quali Traffic
In support of the Italian GP 2025, Formula 2 arrives in Italy with the championship finely balanced. Leonardo Fornaroli leads the standings on 154 points after a season of steady scoring for Invicta Racing. Jak Crawford with DAMS and Richard Verschoor for MP Motorsport remain firmly in touch, separated by just two points on 137 and 135. A single swing in Monza could reset the order, and the famous slipstream battles of the Temple of Speed guarantee no driver will feel safe until the chequered flag.
Monza rewards timing, nerve, and a little luck. The 5.793 km layout is notorious for traffic in qualifying, where finding clear air is often harder than raw pace. Fornaroli will carry the pressure of racing on home soil, but that energy can cut both ways. Crawford has developed into a ruthless overtaker this year and Verschoor has the craft to convert chaos into points, particularly if the safety car appears – a common feature in Formula 2 here.
Behind the headline trio, rookie Arvid Lindblad has impressed with sharp sprint race speed, while Paul Aron’s Alpine FP1 outing this weekend brings valuable track time and confidence. Both could play the role of disruptor. Invicta’s Roman Staněk may also prove a quiet asset in the slipstream train, especially if strategy demands teamwork.
What Happened in 2024
Sprint Race:
Oliver Bearman lit up Monza with a charge from P8 to victory, delivering a home triumph for PREMA. He passed Martí and Martins to seal his second win of the year, while Joshua Duerksen joined the podium.
Feature Race:
Gabriel Bortoleto stunned the paddock with a last-to-first masterclass, capitalising on a Safety Car to flip strategy in his favour. He stormed clear to win ahead of Zane Maloney and Richard Verschoor.
F3 – Finale fever at Monza
The finale arrives with one crown already secured. Rafael Câmara wrapped up the title early, yet the grid still crackles with purpose. The Teams’ Championship is alive. Trident lead Campos by 19 points and race on home soil, which adds pressure and fuel in equal measure. Six drivers will shape that fight: Câmara, Charlie Wurz and Noah Strømsted for Trident, plus Mari Boya, Nikola Tsolov and Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak for Campos. Between them they own most of the season’s silverware. Monza’s long straights keep the pack tight, so teamwork in the tow, smart lifting before the line, and clean execution at both chicanes will decide who lifts the second trophy.
The race for runner up is just as compelling. Boya holds second, with Tsolov right there. Tim Tramnitz, Martinius Stenshorne, Strømsted and Théophile Naël also have a path to the podium of the year. Form suggests it will swing with qualifying. A perfect tow can move a driver five rows. Miss it and you are buried.
Expect elbows out into the Prima Variante on lap one and bold passes at Ascari when DRS bites. Watch PREMA as well. Their recovery since mid season has been real. Points were scarce early, but speed and discipline returned through the summer, and home noise can sharpen focus. Monza often rewards the brave who brake a touch later and trust the exit. It also punishes impatience with track limits and flat spots. In short, the finale is set for a photo finish mood.
What Happened in 2024
Sprint Race:
Tim Tramnitz converted reverse-grid pole into his first F3 win, holding off Sebastián Montoya and Santiago Ramos. Title contenders Fornaroli and Minì scored minor points, while Luke Browning stormed from P17 to P7.
Feature Race:
Sami Meguetounif claimed victory, but all eyes were on Leonardo Fornaroli. The Trident driver recovered from a gravel scare and sealed the crown with a last-corner pass on Christian Mansell, beating Gabriele Minì to the title by just two points.
Feature Image Credit: Scuderia Ferrari