F1 LIVE | Qualifying for the 2023 Italian Grand Prix at Monza

F1 LIVE | Qualifying for the 2023 Italian Grand Prix

The RB19 has been quick on the straights throughout the season, but Ferrari also seems to have found extra top speed. McLaren have also been getting better since they introduced updates, so Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris pose a threat. In free practice, the MCL60s were good.

In Monza, tests will be held again this afternoon with a new qualifying format. The drivers must drive on hard tyres in Q1, and in Q2, they must use medium tyres. The soft tyres will make an appearance in Q3. The drivers will have to be economical with their tyres because part of the test is also that everyone only gets 11 sets instead of the regular 13 for a whole weekend.

Qualification will be held under dry conditions. The temperatures are very pleasant at about 28 degrees Celsius, and the sun will be seen a lot.

Low downforce

Teams are bringing specific aero packages to make their cars fast around the so-called “temple of speed”. In fact, the Monza layout is in a category of its own for how atypical it is: very long straights, heavy breaking points, slow and twisty chicanes and some famous fast corners like Ascari, Lesmo and Parabolica. For this reason, teams always bring specific wings and setups to adapt to this unique circuit.

The top teams have arrived in Monza with the goal of setting their cars in order to be fast in the straights without compromising the tyre management, which is key for winning the race on Sunday. Only the practices will be able to give us an idea of who made the best choice, waiting for a weekend full of passion and fun to begin.