Can Lando Norris stay hot at the Temple of Speed?

ZANDVOORT, NETHERLANDS - AUGUST 23: Race winner Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren celebrates with his trophy during the F1 Grand Prix of Netherlands at Circuit Zandvoort on August 23, 2026 in Zandvoort, Netherlands. (Photo by Anni Graf - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) | Formula 1 via Getty Images Formula 1 heads to Monza this week for the Italian Grand Prix. A trip to the Temple of Speed could blunt Lando Norris’ momentum. The reigning Drivers’ Champion is coming off a pair of victories, first at the Hungarian Grand Prix and then at the Dutch Grand Prix following the annual Summer Shutdown. But while those circuits have been kind to McLaren in recent years, Monza presents a different kind of challenge. Both the Hungaroring and Zandvoort catered to McLaren’s challenger, twisty circuits with an emphasis on high downforce, the kind of layout that McLaren has enjoyed particular success at in recent years. But at Monza, it is all about straight-line speed. But if Norris and Oscar Piastri can get in the fight at the Temple of Speed, it could set the team up nicely for the rest of the season. That question is one of many storylines at this week’s Italian Grand Prix. Can McLaren fight on the straights? The F1 season began roughly according to script with Mercedes on the front foot. There was one slight tweak to those expectations as it was Kimi Antonelli, and not George Russell, leading the way in the Drivers’ Championship race. But the past two races have seen Lando Norris spark something of a title charge of his own, with wins at the Hungarian Grand Prix and the Dutch Grand Prix sandwiching the annual Summer Shutdown. While those two circuits have been fertile ground for McLaren in recent years, with their challengers favoring those twisty circuits and corners, Monza is something different. At the Temple of Speed, straight-line speed is everything. However, a dive into some telemetry data highlights why this could be a pivotal week for the title chase, and the rest of the season. Before we do, a shout-out to GP Tempo – formerly F1 Tempo – for their incredible telemetry data. Definitely give them a follow, and a tip if you can. Let’s start with the Miami Grand Prix, where Antonelli took pole position and Norris qualified fourth. Here is a comparison of their best qualifying laps, and in particular note the long straight from Turn 16 to Turn 17. Antonelli, in blue, dominates almost this entire stretch, but for the entry to the tight Turn 17 which favors Norris, in the orange: Then take a look at Spa, site of the Belgian Grand Prix two races before the shutdown: Again Antonelli took pole position, this time with Norris in P3. Looking at their two best qualifying laps, once more from GP Tempo, you see Antonelli dominant in the first sector, from the exit of Turn 1, then along the Kemmel Straight and into Turn 5. Norris was able to edge ahead briefly at Raidillon. But then we take a look at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the final race before the annual August shutdown. And while the Hungaroring has been fertile ground for McLaren recently, given how the layout favors their challenger, McLaren introduced some upgrades for this year’s Hungarian Grand Prix, including an updated floor. Norris took pole with Antonelli fourth, and here’s what their best laps in quali looked like: As you might have expected, you see Norris on the front foot through most of the lap. But note the straight from Turn 14 past the start/finish line, and into Turn 1. While it is still advantage Mercedes, Norris has closed the gap a bit, both midway through the straight and at the end of the straight, heading into the braking zone for Turn 1. Norris converted that pole position into a win. And now, the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, the “Final Lap” for the historic circuit as it drops from the F1 calendar after this season. Once again Norris took pole position, with Antonelli in third. Here are their best qualifying laps: As with the Hungaroring, Antonelli has the advantage on the straight from Turn 14 down to Turn 1, but you’ve seen Norris again chip away at that advantage, both midway through the straight by the start/finish line, and at the entry to Turn 1. But now, Monza beckons. So what I’m curious to see, is whether McLaren can continue to chip away at that straight-line advantage that Mercedes has. If they can, and they are indeed competitive at Monza, that could set McLaren up very well for the closing stretch of the season. Of course, this is not a two-driver race. Ferrari will be fast at Monza, George Russell might have something to say about this weekend, and you can never count out Max Verstappen, who won at Monza a year ago. But if Norris and Oscar Piastri continue to close the gap on the straights, that could indeed spark a title charge from Norris down the stretch. Ferrari’s home race Let’s turn to the Scuderia for a moment. Because if there is one race everyone at Ferrari wants to win each season, it is the Italian Grand Prix. Ferrari last tasted victory at Monza back in 2024, when Charles Leclerc held off the McLaren duo of Norris and Piastri using a bold one-stop strategy, to secure Ferrari’s first win at Monza since 2019. And the scenes from the historic circuit were right out of a movie: Could we see similar scenes Sunday at Monza? Ferrari is expected to bring an upgraded power unit to Monza, as well as some aerodynamic upgrades and some track-specific elements for the high-speed circuit. There is another factor at play here, the fallout from the Dutch Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were on different strategies during the race, but radio messages from Hamilton illustrated the seven-time champion’s frustration at the situation as he felt he was losing time behind Leclerc, and a shot at a podium finish. Hamilton later apologized for the comments, noting that they were not “the best version of me,” and vowed to be “better” in the future. A double-podium in Monza, with one of the pair on the top step, could be exactly what the doctor ordered for Ferrari. Kimi Antonelli’s grid penalty Young Kimi Antonelli is the driver everyone is chasing in the Drivers’ Championship standings. But the Mercedes driver will be on the back foot when the lights go out on Sunday. The team already confirmed that Antonelli will serve a grid penalty at the Italian Grand Prix, as Mercedes will install a completely new power unit in his W17. Speaking after the Dutch Grand Prix, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff outlined why the team is making the switch at Monza. “With Kimi, we’re taking the full thing. Our calculations say that that’s the best track to take it,” Wolff explained at Zandvoort. “Obviously, algorithms don’t take their nationality into consideration. We’re here to fight for a championship and not get the most [public relations]. So yeah, that’s what we’re going to do.” That means Antonelli faces a minimum drop of ten spots on the grid. The team will make a similar move with George Russell later this season. Antonelli sounded rather relaxed about the decision, speaking at the Dutch Grand Prix. “Obviously going into Monza we have an engine penalty, but I still think it’s the best track to take it,” he said. “Of course, it’s my home race and all that kind of stuff, but, you know, I think it’s the best race to do so. “So, I think it still will give me a chance to do a great result and bring home good points.” Isack Hadjar’s health While the rest of the grid returned to action at the Dutch Grand Prix following the summer break, Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar was forced to miss the race, after suffering an injury during training. That meant Liam Lawson was back at Red Bull for a race, while Yuki Tsunoda was called up to drive alongside Arvid Lindblad at Visa Cash App Racing Bulls. It also marked the second time that Lawson was called on to replace a driver due to an injury at the Dutch Grand Prix, as he replaced Daniel Ricciardo at the junior team after Ricciardo suffered an injury in a practice crash at the 2023 installment of that race. Will Hadjar be back in action this week? According to PlanetF1, Red Bull is facing a Wednesday decision on Hadjar. If he indeed cannot race, expect Lawson to be back in the seat at Red Bull, with Tsunoda driving again for VCARB. Lawson managed a P7 finish for Red Bull at Zandvoort, while Tsunoda just missed out on the points, finishing in P11. The driver transfer market Daniel Moxon, one of the preeminent voices in the F1 paddock, summed the 2027 driver transfer market up recently as something of a “damp squib.” You can understand why given the news in recent weeks. Rather than drivers moving teams, every deal that has been announced has been an extension of a current deal. Both Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz extended their deals with Williams, Franco Colapinto re-signed for another year at Alpine, and both Max Verstappen and Lando Norris signed big extensions with Red Bull and McLaren, respectively. Those hoping for intrigue might look to Haas, where Esteban Ocon is under increasing pressure to keep his seat alongside Oliver Bearman. Team principal Ayao Komatsu has demurred talk regarding the team’s lineup for 2027, choosing to focus on improving the car for both drivers, but a recent Testing of Previous Cars session with three drivers — Ryo Hirakawa, Leonardo Fornaroli, and Rafael Camara — has sparked further speculation about the team’s 2027 lineup. That session at Portimao (with Hirakawa, Fornaroli, and Camara) comes roughly a month after a similar TCP session in Fuki with Toyota-backed drivers Sho Tsuboi and Nirei Fukuzumi. Toyota Gazoo Racing became a title partner of Haas F1 Team for the 2026 season. Do we get any more news on the driver front this week? And if so, does it turn what was a “damp squib” into something … warmer?

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