Preview for the 2023 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Italy, where a new piece of history could be made this weekend.
Entering this round with a 138 point lead over Red Bull teammate – Sergio Perez, Max Verstappen arrives in Monza knowing that a tenth straight victory would see him set a new record for most consecutive Grand Prix wins.
Aston Martin, Mercedes and McLaren meanwhile will continue to battle to be the second best team behind Red Bull, whilst Ferrari seek to impress on their home turf with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
Now, here is a full guide to everything that you need to know ahead of 2023 Italian Grand Prix from track information to key pointers and more.
Track Guide
Circuit: Autodromo Nazionale Monza
Laps: 53
Race Distance: 306.720km
Tyre Compounds: C3, C4 & C5
Schedule
| Date | Session | Time (BST) |
| Friday 1 September 2023 | FP1 | 12:30pm |
| Friday 1 September 2023 | FP2 | 4:00pm |
| Saturday 2 September 2023 | FP3 | 11:30am |
| Saturday 2 September 2023 | Qualifying | 3:00pm |
| Sunday 3 September 2023 | Race | 2:00pm |
Five Key Pointers
- With Monza being a low downforce circuit, there is potential for some teams to run an one-off aerodynamic specification but the cost cap makes that option unlikely this season.
- Slipstream and tow effects will be crucial in Qualifying for all teams to maximise their chances so expect traffic to be an issue heading towards the Parabolica ahead of flying laps.
- After impressing at the high-downforce circuit of Zandvoort, McLaren can take confidence into this low-downforce track, having performed well on their last low-downforce track in Hungary.
- Verstappen enters this race looking to clinch a record tenth straight win, which would also see him become the first driver since Lewis Hamilton in 2017 & 18 to win consecutive Italian GPs.
- Last year’s race saw a mixture of one and two-stop strategies whilst Leclerc unsuccessfully attempted a three-stopper, so understanding tyre degradation could prove key to race strategies.
Last Time Out
Verstappen executed a two-stop strategy to beat pole-sitter, Leclerc to victory in 2022, whilst George Russell finished a comfortable third ahead of Sainz and Lewis Hamilton who battled from 18th and 19th on the grid to finish fourth and fifth respectively.