McLaren enters the weekend with its drivers separated by just 34 points, but technical reliability has suddenly become a talking point. After Oscar Piastri dominated Zandvoort with a rare grand slam, Lando Norris failed to finish due to a confirmed chassis fault. That incident triggered an internal review ahead of Monza. With McLaren leading both championships and preparing for a rebrand next season, the stakes could not be higher. One misstep here could shift the title momentum permanently.

Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar captured headlines last weekend by finishing on the podium, just months after crashing out during the formation lap of his debut. His P3 finish at Zandvoort makes him the youngest French driver to ever reach the podium in Formula 1. Although his trophy famously snapped in half during a photo with the team, his rise from embarrassment to celebration is the kind of redemption arc that defines a career. Further down the grid, eyes are also on Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, who continues to struggle but remains locked in as a long term project.

Monza is a temple of pure speed, but it comes with built in chaos. Slipstreaming in qualifying can deliver up to seven tenths in lap time, which often turns out laps into games of cat and mouse. Strategy is another wild card. With one of the highest Safety Car rates of any race on the calendar, teams must prepare for last second decisions that could flip grid positions or ruin tire strategies. Last year’s race ended behind the Safety Car, creating controversy and caution this time around. Monza rewards the brave but punishes the unlucky, and everyone knows it.