Ferrari's Leclerc fourth, Hamilton fifth in Italian GP qualifying at Monza
Charles Leclerc qualified fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth for Ferrari in Italian Grand Prix qualifying at Monza.
- 4th
- 5th
- 1'22"004
- 1'22"011
What Happened
Qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza took place on 5 September 2026. The air temperature was 34 degrees and the track temperature 56 degrees. Scuderia Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth, with both drivers using Soft tyres throughout.
In Q1, Leclerc and Hamilton headed out on Soft tyres. Leclerc's first attempt was 1'22"995, before he improved to 1'22"902, while Hamilton set 1'22"847. Both drivers made it through to Q2.
For Q2, the SF-26s were on used Soft tyres, with Leclerc posting 1'22"509 and Hamilton 1'22"624. After pitting for fresh tyres, Leclerc was unable to improve, while Hamilton got down to 1'22"516. Both advanced to Q3.
In Q3, each driver had two sets of Soft tyres. Leclerc's first run produced 1'22"004, provisionally fourth, while Hamilton's was 1'22"724, eighth. On the second attempts, Leclerc could not improve and finished fourth, while Hamilton moved up to fifth with 1'22"011.
Previously from Ferrari N.V.
Ferrari arrived at Monza with an upgraded SF-26 featuring the debut of its ADUO power unit, according to prior Motorcawl coverage. Leclerc had said the team must have a perfect weekend to win there, while Hamilton called the track with Ferrari 'the best feeling'.
- Hamilton set for second Ferrari Italian GP at Monza with Schumacher tribute and upgraded SF-26
- Leclerc: Ferrari needs perfect weekend at Monza as ADUO power unit debuts
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Ferrari N.V.'s official releases.
Why this matters
Both Ferraris will start the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in the top five, with Charles Leclerc fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth. Qualifying sets the grid for the race, giving the team a strong launching position.
Terms in This Story
- Soft tyres
- The fastest tyre compound available during a Formula 1 weekend, offering high grip but shorter durability than harder compounds.
- Qualifying
- A timed session or series of sessions that determines the starting order for a race.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.