The Audi Revolut F1 Team takes the R26 to Autodromo Nazionale Monza this weekend for its first Italian Grand Prix as a factory outfit. FORMULA 1 PIRELLI GRAN PREMIO D’ITALIA 2026 is Round 13, 4–6 September, a standard race weekend with no Sprint. Formula 1 lists the circuit at 5.793 km, 53 laps, 306.72 km. The fastest race lap on the books is 1:20.901, Lando Norris, 2025.
Four points weekends, then a different track
After Zandvoort, Audi sits 8th in the 2026 constructors’ championship with 16 points. The team has scored in four consecutive races and made Q3 in each of the last three weekends. The Dutch GP is the streak, not the story: Hulkenberg P8, Bortoleto P13 (23 August). Nico Hulkenberg is #27; Gabriel Bortoleto is #5. Mattia Binotto is CEO and team principal; Allan McNish racing director; James Key technical director.
McNish, in the 1 September Content Hub preview from Hinwil: “Monza is always a special place to go racing, with so much history in and around the circuit. This weekend will be a different challenge, on a track layout that could make it difficult to maintain the run of points we had in the last races.”
What to watch, without inventing a wing note
Monza still rewards a low-drag car and late braking into the Variante del Rettifilo. What is new for this team is 2026 energy management on a lap with few places to harvest. Straight-line speed will not be the only number that matters.
Hulkenberg: “It’s always good to be back at Monza. One of the real classics with so many passionate Tifosi around and a place where you really enjoy driving a Formula One car. The midfield is still incredibly close, so the focus is on putting together another tidy weekend and seeing where that leaves us.” He has finished fifth here before (2013, 2019).
Bortoleto: “Monza is always a weekend with special meaning for me: I lived in Italy throughout my junior career and also enjoyed good results here in recent years. We’ve been competitive over the last few races, so hopefully we can carry that into this weekend and put together a strong result.”
When it runs (CEST / ET)
Toronto is six hours behind Monza. FP1 Friday 12:30–13:30 CEST (6:30–7:30 a.m. ET). FP2 Friday 16:00–17:00 (10–11 a.m. ET). FP3 Saturday 12:30–13:30 (6:30–7:30 a.m. ET). Qualifying Saturday 16:00–17:00 (10–11 a.m. ET). Race Sunday 15:00–17:00 (9–11 a.m. ET).
One line on the juniors: Freddie Slater leads Formula 3 into the penultimate round for the Audi Driver Development Programme. Then it is the R26 at the Temple of Speed.
Sources: Audi Revolut F1 Team, 2026 Italian Grand Prix preview; Temple of Speed; Formula 1, Italian GP 2026; Audi Revolut F1 Team; 2026 teams’ standings.