Fernando Alonso and Liam Lawson are set to start the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix from the pitlane this afternoon at Monza. Both Aston Martin and Red Bull breached parc ferme rules, forcing the drivers to abandon their grid positions.
Aston Martin opted to give Alonso fresh power unit parts, including an MGU-K, a battery, and a control electronics unit, after detecting abnormal behavior in the data during qualifying. This prevented Alonso from completing a final run in Q1.
Power Unit Crisis at a High-Speed Track
For Alonso, starting from the pitlane adds to a challenging season. The two-time world champion acknowledged that Monza, along with Vegas, will be the worst tracks for his team due to the power deficit on the straights.
“We lose a lot, there's a big deficit on the straights. The data is there for everyone. We are not blind, we see the same data as you guys and we know that we need to work on the power,” Alonso said. “But we are trying to support each other and I think there are clear targets for next year.”
Lawson’s Forced Adaptation and Setup Changes
Meanwhile, Liam Lawson also faces a pitlane start after Red Bull changed his rear wing and tweaked his suspension setup. The New Zealander, standing in for the injured Isack Hadjar, continues to adapt to the RB22.
Lawson had already been given extra engine parts, which would have dropped him to the back of the grid anyway. After being impeded by Oscar Piastri in Q2 and qualifying 14th, the pitlane start is another setback.
This technical decision is a heavy blow for both drivers, who were hoping to improve their standings. The Monza race is always full of surprises, and pit strategy and tire management will be key to recovering from the back.
Starting from the pitlane, Alonso and Lawson must be aggressive yet smart. The long straights offer overtaking opportunities, but tire degradation risk looms. Can they fight back into the points? We’ll see.
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