News summary

Oscar Piastri made it clear that McLaren does not yet have the pace required to beat its main rivals at the Italian GP, the 13th round of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Despite that assessment, the Australian was encouraged by the amount of information gathered during Friday’s 2 practice sessions at Monza.

The #81 McLaren finished 11th in FP1, setting a 1:24.184 lap that left him 1.176s behind Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari. Piastri made significant progress in FP2, moving up to sixth with a 1:23.028, although he remained 0.469s behind Russell’s Mercedes benchmark.

McLaren’s Friday program focused on different setup directions, fuel loads and tire programs as the team worked to understand its package at Monza’s high-speed, low-downforce circuit. The team also evaluated its H-Wing aerodynamic configuration during the sessions.

“The first day in Monza is done. We’ve learned a decent amount and collected a lot of data, which gives us a solid foundation to work from overnight,” Piastri said.

“There’s lots for us still to learn and maximize as we don’t have the pace we need right now. We’ll focus on unlocking more performance overnight and see what more we can take from FP3 into qualifying,” he concluded.

Piastri’s comments were consistent with McLaren’s assessment of the opening day. The team said its performance was where it expected it to be coming into the weekend, but not where it wanted to be, and acknowledged that it was still some way off the leading group.

Lando Norris ended FP2 fourth, 0.384s behind Russell, while Piastri was sixth. The gap to the front therefore remains relatively small on paper, but McLaren knows it needs to extract additional performance before qualifying.

With FP3 and qualifying still to come on Saturday, McLaren will now use the overnight data to refine the setup and improve its energy management and outright pace. The battle at the front remains extremely tight, with Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren separated by fractions of a second in FP2.

GRANDE PRÊMIO will continue to follow all the action from the Italian GP, the 13th round of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

FAQ

1. How did Oscar Piastri perform in Italian GP practice?

Piastri finished 11th in FP1 and sixth in FP2 at Monza. His best FP2 time was 1:23.028, 0.469s behind George Russell.

2. What time is F1 qualifying at Monza?

Italian GP qualifying is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, September 5. It will set the starting grid for Sunday’s race.

3. Can McLaren challenge Ferrari and Mercedes at Monza?

McLaren remains within striking distance, but Piastri acknowledged that the team does not currently have the pace it needs. McLaren will use FP3 and overnight analysis to search for additional performance before qualifying.