The big shock has already happened at Monza as Pierre Gasly took pole position for Alpine at the Italian Grand Prix. However, the paddock agrees that Sunday's race still has plenty more surprises in store.
The consensus is that the race will be dynamic, full of overtaking action, with potential jeopardy lurking at every corner. No one can be sure how the final result will play out.
Nevertheless, there are key factors predicted to influence the race. Let's delve deeper.
The 'Yo-Yo Racing' Phenomenon Reshaping the Order
Monza is known as a track that leaves the 2026 F1 cars energy-starved, acting as a catalyst for shaking up the order on Sundays.
Different deployment patterns and battery offsets make overtaking easier and open the door for what's become known as 'yo-yo racing'. This is often exacerbated in the opening laps as cars are bunched together and energy management is more haphazard.
Throw in a powerful slipstream and the long run to Turn 1, and it's no wonder Oscar Piastri expects early chaos. "The first few laps could be quite chaotic, and not necessarily the quickest car will be leading all the time," he said.
Strategic Dilemma: Attack or Preserve?
While races often settle down after early yo-yo madness, that may not happen at Monza due to the energy-poor cars. Drivers have learned in 2026 that battling costs laptime as energy deployment is compromised.
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella admits it's tricky to know the best approach. "If you start to play with the boost and overtake cars, you may get overtaken and lose overall time," he explained.
Carlos Sainz added that drivers must weigh how aggressive to be. "It depends on how disciplined people are with their boost press and how much race time you're willing to give up to get into yo-yo racing," he said.
Ultimately, the key to winning the Italian GP is not just raw speed but also intelligence in reading the situation, managing energy, and winning the psychological war on track.
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