You cannot walk more than a few steps around the Formula 1 paddock at Monza without seeing a sign reminding you that this is the fabled “Temple of Speed”. Less so in 2026, it seems.
Conversation ahead of the Italian Grand Prix weekend has been dominated by intrigue over how the racing will pan out – and how much slower the cars will be this year. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri has revealed that in his team’s simulations, its car was hitting lower peak speeds than it was in Hungary, which has a much slower and twistier layout.
All this despite McLaren fitting its low-drag ‘H-wing’ this weekend.
The limiting factor is th
