Red flagpublished at 14:10 BST

14:10 BST

Needless to say, there's now a red flag in the aftermath of Charles Leclerc going off, presumably to repair the barrier after the Ferrari put a great big hole into it.

Leclerc is okay, but he looks winded and in shock. I'm not surprised. He was carrying quite some speed out of the parabolica.

What a nightmare start for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton's down to eighth as well after a poor getaway of his own, mixed with contact with Leclerc before his team-mate's crash.

Oh my word.

A massive crash at tail end of the parabolica at the end of lap two for Charles Leclerc.

I'm not sure exactly how that's happened, whether he's drifted too far to the side of the track and slipped away.

But he's out in quite some style. That is a big off.

Alex Lynn
British racing driver on Sports Extra 2

It is a perfect start for Pierre Gasly, exactly what he needed.

Lewis Hamilton tells us Charles pushed him off and he is right, super aggressive from Charles Leclerc there, pushes his team-mate straight off on the exit of the first chicane.

George Russell does take the lead right on the starting straight and Pierre Gasly then comes under pressure from Charles Leclerc who momentarily takes P2 from him.

But Gasly regains second place and soon after Max Verstappen leaps above Leclerc into third!

Hamilton: "Charles pushed me off!"

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The lights are out and the 2026 Italian Grand Prix is under way!

Pierre Gasly gets away well and holds the lead into turn one but there's contact between the two Ferraris and then further contact going into the chicane and Lewis Hamilton goes into the gravel and loses significant ground!

What a nightmare start for Ferrari but at the front, George Russell is right on Gasly's tail. Can he make a move stick on lap one? Not yet..

Rebecca Clancy
F1 journalist on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

I've been so impressed with Arvid Lindblad this weekend. Hasn't he been brilliant? You forget it is his rookie year, been so good. He's had seven top 10 finishes this season so far. He looks like a threat. The Racing Bulls looks like a pretty decent car.

The start of this race is absolutely crucial. As is tyre strategy. Remember, deg will be low over the course of this race.

And therein lies the gamble. Can you make the tyre last and delay that entry to the pits?

Pole sitter Pierre Gasly and George Russell are starting on mediums. The three cars behind them - Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have gone for a set of softs.

That dash to turn one's gonna be good, isn't it?

As promised, the poll results are in.

41% of you believe Mercedes' George Russell can convert his second place start to a race win in Monza.

Lewis Hamilton is second in the votes, 28% think the Ferrari man can win today.

Pole sitter Pierre Gasly got 9% of the votes.

7% of you voted Charles Leclerc as your race winner.

5% believe Kimi Antonelli can come from 19th place to win his home race.

It is 4% of the votes for McLaren's Oscar Piastri.

Lando Norris and Max Verstappen both got 3% of the votes.

Rebecca Clancy
F1 journalist on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

Pete Bonnington [Kimi Antonelli's race engineer] is pretty optimistic actually. He said he thinks Antonelli has plenty of pace and actually if he can keep his nose clean at the start of the race, which could be messy, by the mid-teens laps he thinks Antonelli should be up battling with what he says are the guys they should be battling with.

Alex Lynn
British racing driver on Sports Extra 2

Image source, Getty Images

It is totally unexpected but totally deserved. [Pierre Gasly] was fantastic in qualifying yesterday and deserved to put his car on pole position. It is a big chance for Pierre today to win another grand prix. But there's plenty of very fast cars behind him, namely George Russell on the front row in the Mercedes.

BBC Sounds

Busy afternoon ahead? You can also take 5 Live’s coverage of the Italian Grand Prix with you on BBC Sounds. Or if you want to listen via your smart speaker, ask your device to ‘play Sports Extra 2’.

All insight and analysis following today’s result will be available on the F1: Chequered Flag podcast this evening - just search ‘F1’ on BBC Sounds.

Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli speaking before the Italian Grand Prix: "It's been a crazy weekend for me so far but I've been enjoying it so much. It's so good to be back home in front of incredible fans and hopefully today we can put on a good show."

On his strategy for today: "Full push. Just going to try to recover as many places."

For the second time this season, a grand prix has been declared a heat-hazard race, as the summer heatwave lingers on.

The Italian Grand Prix was given the official designation as it is forecasted that temperatures will be more than 31C at some point during today's race.

The ambient temperatures around Monza, north-east of Milan, is expected to be 33C today.

They peaked at 36C on Wednesday afternoon near Milan's Linate airport.

The ruling means drivers can use a system that flows cooled liquid, such as glycol, through a system of pipes in a fireproof top worn under their overalls.

The cooling kit is not mandatory, but any driver who chooses not to use it has to carry 5kg of ballast in their car to ensure they do not have a competitive advantage.

Lorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist at Monza

Image source, BBC Sport

Gosia, Kasia, Piotr and Jagna are a family of Charles Leclerc fans from Poland. The hat in question that Jagna is holding is of Leo Leclerc, Charles' dog, as the Ferrari logo. The little pup isn't here today, but his wife, Alex, looking beautiful in red, is.

So why have the family picked Leclerc as their number one driver? "It's his passion for Ferrari and how he can give to the tifosi," says Jagna. "It's really special."

Gosia says the experience of Monza is "out of this world", adding: "It's amazing. It's definitely something else from watching the race at home, coming here, and supporting with the other tifosi."

With both Leclerc and team-mate Lewis Hamilton gaining a grid place because of Oscar Piastri's penalty, could a double podium be on the cards? "I hope so, it's not impossible," says Jagna.

If Leclerc wins, the atmosphere will be "very loud", predicts Gosia. "And so will the love and the happiness from the people here."

Image source, Getty Images

Red Bull will be without Isack Hadjar for a second consecutive race, with the Frenchman missing today's Italian Grand Prix as he continues to recover from a wrist injury he sustained during the summer.

Hadjar, 21, missed last month's Dutch Grand Prix and is once again replaced by New Zealander Liam Lawson in Monza.

Lawson, who normally races for Red Bull's second team, Racing Bulls, will compete alongside Max Verstappen this weekend - after finishing seventh last time.

Lawson's spot at Racing Bulls is once again filled by reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda.

On Wednesday, Red Bull said Hadjar - who broke his wrist while boxing - was making "encouraging progress" and that the team would not be taking any "unnecessary risks" with his return to competition.

Red Bull are fourth in the constructors' championship standings, behind Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren.

Lorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist at Monza

Image source, BBC Sport

Canadians Anthony and Chris both live and work in Italy and are visiting the Italian Grand Prix for the first time.

"I've been a Charles guy ever since he was with Alfa Romeo," says Anthony.

"Don't get me wrong, I like Lewis - seven-time world champion, how could you go wrong? But in Italy, the Italian fans support Ferrari, it doesn't matter the drivers. As long as one of them brings it home, that's all that matters."

Anthony adds a podium or win for the Scuderia is a possibility today, but he also mentions home driver Kimi Antonelli.

"Italy is very patriotic - I married an Italian - so of course they are supporting him for the championship," he adds. "As long as one of their boys (Ferrari or Italian) is bringing it home, that's fine."

BBC Weather

The temperatures peaked at 34C yesterday with the track temperature a good 20 degrees warmer.

Today? Well it's a bit cooler than that...but not by much. It's forecast to be around 33C for the race.

Hot hot!

Lorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist at Monza

Image source, BBC Sport

Anton and Tim are stood at the packed food court with England shirts on with 'Hamilton 44 Still I Rise' written on the back. English? "We’re from the Netherlands," the two fans say. So... not Max Verstappen fans?! "Nooooo! And we never have been," jokes Tim.

As she can see from the shirts, the two are massive Hamilton supporters. With the seven-time world champion 59 points behind Kimi Antonelli in the title fight, can he claim that elusive eighth title this season? "For sure, he can do it," says Anton.

"Maybe with a little bit of luck - but he needs Charles Leclerc," adds Tim.

So, is this the point in the campaign where Leclerc has to become the number two driver to Hamilton? "Yes, for sure," says Tim. "At least for this season."

Image source, BBC Sport