It is Pirelli's home race and one of the most cherished events on the Formula 1 calendar, thanks to the passion of the fans and the rich history of the circuit that hosts it. Next weekend, the Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio d'Italia 2026, now in its 77th edition, will take place at Monza.

Pirelli's connection with the Temple of Speed, Europe's most historic racing circuit, extends far beyond the proximity between the Italian company's headquarters and the autodrome. It is also rooted in the many victories achieved on Pirelli tyres at Monza. Among them is Pietro Bordino's win in a Fiat 804 at the Grand Prix that inaugurated the newly built circuit on 10 September 1922.

Pirelli will be the Title Sponsor of the race weekend and will celebrate its relationship with the Italian Grand Prix through the trophy, created by an Italian artistic duo, which will be lifted by the top three finishers in Sunday's race, as well as through a special edition of the podium caps.

At Monza, the three softest compounds in the range will be in use: the C3 as Hard, the C4 as Medium and the C5 as Soft. On paper, all three options could play a role in shaping Sunday's race strategies, provided temperatures are not excessively high.

The 5.793 km circuit, featuring 11 corners, is one of the fastest on the Formula 1 calendar, thanks in part to its long straights which, this year, will present an additional challenge for energy management with the new power units. Team simulations are in fact predicting lap times around two seconds quicker than last year.

From a tyre perspective, the front axle should be subjected to lower braking loads, as braking zones are likely to be approached at reduced speeds. By contrast, the rear axle will face greater demands during traction phases, when the full power of the power unit is deployed.

Braking stability and traction on corner exit, particularly at the First Chicane and Ascari, will be the two key factors in gaining an advantage over rivals on a track that is typically run with a low-downforce aerodynamic set-up, prioritising top speed.

The circuit generally offers a good level of grip from the opening sessions. No significant modifications have been made since the complete resurfacing carried out in 2024, when a relatively smooth asphalt mixture was laid. This year, the kerbs at Turns 1, 4 and 8 have been rebuilt, while at Turn 5 a gravel area has been replaced with an asphalt run-off section.

Drivers will likely have to manage rear axle overheating during the race, but degradation should not be severe enough to compromise tyre performance. As a result, a one-stop strategy appears the most likely option for Sunday, despite the fact that overtaking opportunities are far from scarce at Monza.

Last year, for the opening stint, most drivers opted for the Medium compound. Five chose the Hard, while only one started on the Soft. The red-banded tyre reappeared towards the end of the race, with several drivers fitting it for the final laps following their sole pit stop. That was the case for Norris and Piastri, who finished second and third after starting on the Medium. Verstappen, last year's winner, completed the race using the Medium-Hard combination.

This is the 77th edition of the Italian Grand Prix, one of the longest-running races on the Formula 1 calendar. It has been held at Monza on every occasion except one, when it took place at Imola. The drivers with the most victories are Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, with five wins apiece, while Ferrari is the most successful team with 20 victories. Hamilton also holds the records for both pole positions at Monza (seven) and fastest laps (seven). Among the current drivers, Pierre Gasly claimed his maiden Formula 1 victory at the Temple of Speed, winning the 2020 Italian Grand Prix at the wheel of an AlphaTauri and delivering the team's first success under its new name.

The three drivers who will step onto the podium on Sunday, together with a representative of the winning team, will celebrate the outcome of the race by lifting FRAGILE, a trophy conceived as a work of art by the artist duo vedovamazzei.

The Italian Grand Prix trophy is commissioned each year from Italian artists as part of a multi-year project, now in its sixth edition, initiated by Pirelli, the race's title sponsor, in collaboration with the Pirelli HangarBicocca Museum of Contemporary Art.

For the 2026 edition, the commission was awarded to vedovamazzei, the duo formed by Stella Scala and Simeone Crispino, whose artistic practice combines irony with an ability to capture the contradictions and complexities of reality. Their works often reinterpret everyday objects, highlighting the world's paradoxical aspects.

FRAGILE is precisely a layered composition of household objects - cups and small bowls - that take on an unsteady-looking vertical form when stacked on top of each other.

The work required a traditional process of transposing drawings and sketches onto paper, followed by a highly technological 3D printing process using nylon powder. This material was then painted, galvanized, and polished until it became reflective.

The artists explain: "The idea for the trophy stems from the ancient tradition of passing a celebratory cup from hand to hand. It served as a large drinking vessel, creating a sense of shared celebration and festivity."

"We wanted the trophy to be the symbol of a victory that an individual holds in their hands, yet it reflects the spirit of a community. In the case of Formula 1, this community includes the team, the fans, and the entire world revolving around the drivers. The composition also evokes an everyday dimension with its repeated gestures, suggesting a victory earned lap after lap that never corresponds to an eternal, unchanging status. It is unstable, short-lived, and must be reclaimed. In fact, it is fragile."

The commission awarded to vedovamazzei follows those assigned to artists Alice Ronchi (2021), Patrick Tuttofuoco (2022), Ruth Beraha (2023), Andrea Sala (2024) and Nico Vascellari (2025).

For the Monza weekend, Pirelli Design has created a special edition podium cap that will be worn by the drivers finishing on the podium at the Temple of Speed. Designed by Denis Dekovic, the cap features the iconic Azzurro colour of Italian sport and is embellished with gold embroidery and the unmistakable laurel wreaths associated with the podium.

The contrasting black visor is embroidered with the word "Monza". On the side, an "Italia 2026" embroidery with four gold stars is accompanied by the dates of the race weekend. The special edition is already available to purchase on the e-commerce platform.