News summary
- McLaren and Ferrari believe the Italian GP could be a turning point in their fight against Mercedes in the 2026 Constructors’ Championship.
- Andrea Stella sees Monza as an important test of McLaren’s performance on a circuit where straight-line speed is particularly important.
- Frédéric Vasseur played down the idea that the Italian GP will decide the championship, pointing out that 500 points will still be available after Monza.
Andrea Stella and Frédéric Vasseur, the team principals of McLaren and Ferrari respectively, believe the Italian GP could prove to be a “game changer” in the fight against Mercedes.
The characteristics of Monza are significantly different from those of the most recent rounds in Hungary and the Netherlands, putting greater emphasis on power, efficiency and straight-line speed. That could produce a different competitive order from the one seen at the previous races.
Mercedes leads the Constructors’ Championship with 425 points, followed by Ferrari on 338 and McLaren on 265.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Stella was particularly interested in seeing how McLaren performs at a circuit that exposes one of the car’s relative weaknesses.
“It can be a game changer. Let’s see. It’s very interesting for us to see how we can compete on a circuit that is very demanding in terms of straight-line speed, because we know that this is not the main quality of our car,” Stella said.
“If we can do well here in Monza, if we can fight for podiums here, then who knows? The championship can be open.”
McLaren has already acknowledged that its deficit to Mercedes has been concentrated primarily in the corners, making Monza an important benchmark because of its long full-throttle sections. Previous analysis from Stella put the gap at roughly 3 to 4 tenths per lap, with most of that difference coming through the corners.
The McLaren boss also highlighted the points lost during the first part of the season.
“We know we lost a lot of points in the first part of the season, not only for performance but also for reliability issues. This can happen to anyone, so we still need to be in the fight and make sure that, every weekend, we do our best,” Stella added.
Vasseur takes a more cautious approach
Vasseur, meanwhile, agreed that Monza represents a particularly interesting test for Ferrari but was more reluctant to view the race as decisive.
“It’s special also compared to Monza of previous years, because normally we are used to coming to Monza with maybe 100 points of downforce less than on other circuits, and this is not the case this season,” Vasseur said.
The Ferrari team principal explained that the current generation of cars requires a different approach, meaning teams and drivers face a new technical challenge at the Italian circuit.
“It means a different approach, a different exercise for the team and for the drivers. But it’s not the end of the championship,” Vasseur said.
“There are still, after this race, 500 points to score until the end of the season. Certainly, everybody would prefer to win in Monza, and I’m the first one, but anyway, it’s not the end of the championship.”
Vasseur’s caution is particularly relevant given Ferrari’s recent progress and the introduction of another ADUO power-unit upgrade at Monza. Charles Leclerc has described the new Ferrari engine specification as a “step in the right direction,” while the team is also running aerodynamic changes aimed at the low-downforce demands of the circuit.
McLaren, meanwhile, is looking for answers of its own. The team has been the benchmark in recent races, but Monza provides a very different test of the MCL40’s strengths and weaknesses.
That makes the Italian GP an important reference point for all 3 leading teams: Mercedes enters as the championship leader, Ferrari arrives with a power-unit upgrade, and McLaren wants to prove that its disadvantage on the straights will not prevent it from fighting at the front.
GRANDE PRÊMIO follows all the action from the Italian GP, the 13th round of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
FAQ
Why could Monza change the competitive order in F1?
Monza places a particularly strong emphasis on straight-line speed, power-unit performance and low drag, making it significantly different from recent races such as Hungary and the Netherlands.
How many points separate Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren?
Mercedes leads with 425 points, Ferrari has 338, and McLaren has 265 in the Constructors’ Championship.
How many points remain after the Italian GP?
According to Vasseur, 500 points will still be available after Monza, meaning the Italian GP will not determine the championship by itself.
