PREVIEW: A high-speed test around Monza for Round 11

It’s all eyes on the Temple of Speed and Monza for Round 11 of the 2025 FIA Formula 2 season, a campaign that keeps on giving.

After the summer break, F2 drivers and teams are back in action, and we resume around one of the most iconic venues in the world. Here’s all you need to know ahead of this weekend’s racing.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Friday Practice kicks off the on-track running, set to get underway at 11:00 local time, and is followed up later in the day with the grid-setting Qualifying session at 15:55.

The Sprint Race on Saturday is the first bit of F2 racing action following the break, with lights out scheduled for 14:15 local time.

Sunday is the Feature Race, and we are set to get underway at 09:45 Italian time.

STAT PACK

• Only once has the pole sitter gone on to win the F2 Feature Race in Monza. Oscar Piastri was the victor from P1 on the grid in 2021.
• Leonardo Fornaroli has led the Drivers’ Championship since Round 9 at Spa, the longest a driver has stayed P1 so far this season
• Despite the Italian’s 17-point advantage over Jak Crawford, it is only the second-largest gap between first and second in the Standings so far in 2025 after Richard Verschoor led by 24 earlier in the year.
• Alexander Dunne will be back in the McLaren MCL39 for Free Practice 1 on Friday.

FROM THE GRID - Leonardo Fornaroli, Invicta Racing

“It’s my home race, so it’s special for me. I got my first front row start, first podium and won the F3 Championship there last year. It’s a very high-speed circuit and has big braking zones with some fast chicanes. It’s tough for the team to find a good setup because you want to be quick on the straights but without being too slow in the corners. The first two chicanes are the best places to overtake. If you get a good run to Ascari, you can try something there. Maybe the last corner too…”

TECHNICAL PREVIEW

Pierre-Alain Michot, FIA Formula 2 Technical Director

“The high-speed Autodromo Nazionale Monza is one of the most unique tracks on the calendar. With over three quarters of the lap spent at full throttle, downforce is second to top-end speed in terms of requirements. The two DRS zones into Turns 1 and 8 offer great overtaking opportunities, but with the speeds around the lap and on-throttle time, braking demand is therefore very high, as is fuel consumption for the same reasons.”

PIRELLI PREVIEW

Unlike last year, there will be no jump in compounds for this weekend’s event in Monza. Pirelli has confirmed that it will bring the Supersoft as the softest compound but has replaced the Medium used in 2024 with the Soft. This more aggressive choice means drivers could have to be careful in how they manage the end of their stint on Medium, if they are unable to do so effectively earlier, especially for those who spend plenty of time stuck in traffic.

For the Feature Race, it’s likely that the majority of the grid will start off on the Supersoft up until the pit stop window is open, as was the case last year. In 2024, almost half the field stopped at the earliest opportunity, but were then caught out by a Safety Car on the following lap which meant the others were able to change tyres while losing far less time. Amongst these was Brazil’s Gabriel Bortoleto, now racing in F1 for Sauber, who managed to win the race from last place on the grid.