The Italian Grand Prix takes place from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 September 2026 at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza. This is a standard race weekend, not a Sprint round – you’ll see “Sprint Race” on the timetable, but that refers to the FIA Formula 2 and Formula 3 support races, not Formula 1. The Formula 1 race itself starts at 15:00 local time on Sunday.
Quick answer
The Italian Grand Prix starts at 15:00 local time on Sunday 6 September 2026. Qualifying is Saturday at 16:00. This is a standard weekend for Formula 1 – no F1 Sprint race – though Formula 2 and Formula 3 do run their own Sprint races on Saturday and Sunday. Gate times for 2026 are not yet confirmed by the organiser; we recommend checking closer to the event.
Full weekend timetable
All times are local (Monza, CEST, UTC+2). Formula 1 sessions are shown in bold. Press conferences and media-only sessions are not included, since they’re not open to general admission ticket holders.
Friday 4 September
| Session | Time |
| FIA Formula 3 – Practice | 08:35 to 09:20 |
| FIA Formula 2 – Practice | 10:00 to 10:45 |
| F1 Car Presentation | 11:00 to 12:00 |
| Formula 1 – Free Practice 1 | 12:30 to 13:30 |
| FIA Formula 3 – Qualifying (Group A) | 14:00 to 14:10 |
| FIA Formula 3 – Qualifying (Group B) | 14:20 to 14:30 |
| FIA Formula 2 – Qualifying | 14:55 to 15:25 |
| Formula 1 – Free Practice 2 | 16:00 to 17:00 |
| Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup – Practice | 17:30 to 18:15 |
| Historic F1 Cars Demonstration | 18:25 to 18:40 |
Saturday 5 September
| Session | Time |
| FIA Formula 3 – Sprint Race | 09:30to 10:15 |
| Historic F1 Cars Demonstration | 10:25 to 10:40 |
| Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup – Qualifying | 10:50 to 11:20 |
| Formula 1 – Free Practice 3 | 12:30 to 13:30 |
| FIA Formula 2 – Sprint Race | 14:15 to 15:05 |
| Formula 1 – Qualifying | 16:00 to 17:00 |
| Historic F1 Cars Demonstration | 17:15 to 17:35 |
| Schumacher Legacy Celebration Run | 17:35 to 17:45 |
Sunday 6 September
| Session | Time |
| FIA Formula 3 – Feature Race | 08:15 to 09:05 |
| FIA Formula 2 – Feature Race | 09:45 to 10:50 |
| Historic F1 Cars Demonstration | 11:00 to 11:15 |
| Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup – Race | 11:45 to 12:20 |
| Schumacher Legacy Celebration Run | 12:35 to 12:50 |
| Drivers’ Parade | 13:00 to 13:30 |
| National Anthem | 14:44 to 14:46 |
| Formula 1 – Grand Prix (53 laps) | 15:00 to 17:00 |
Track running starts at 08:35 on Friday and Saturday, and 08:15 on Sunday, and continues until early evening each day.
Gate opening and closing times
Monza’s organiser (monzanet.it) has not yet published official gate times for 2026. Two reseller sources give slightly different figures for Friday: one lists gates opening at 07:30, the other at 07:00. Both agree gates open around 07:00 to 07:30 on Saturday and Sunday and close at 20:00 each day. Treat these as provisional. We’ll update this section once monzanet.it confirms.
If you’re planning your first Monza visit, we recommend building in extra time regardless of which figure turns out to be right – queues at the main gates build quickly on a sold-out race day.
When to arrive each day
Friday doesn’t need an early start. Free Practice 1 is the first Formula 1 session at 12:30, so a mid-morning arrival still gets you the support-series qualifying beforehand.
Saturday is busier. If you want to catch the Formula 3 Sprint Race at 09:30 as well as Formula 1 Qualifying at 16:00, plan to be through the gates shortly after they open.
Sunday is the long day. The Formula 3 Feature Race opens the track at 08:15, more than six hours before the Grand Prix at 15:00. If you only want the Grand Prix, a mid-morning arrival is enough – but the full support-race card is part of what you’ve paid for, and grandstand seats fill up as the day goes on.
Timezone conversions
| Event | Monza (CEST) | UK (BST) | US East (EDT) | US West (PDT) |
| Qualifying (Sat) | 16:00 | 15:00 | 10:00 | 07:00 |
| Grand Prix (Sun) | 15:00 | 14:00 | 09:00 | 06:00 |
FAqs About Monza F1 Schedule
1. What time does the Italian Grand Prix start?
The Formula 1 race starts at 15:00 local time on Sunday 6 September 2026. Qualifying takes place the day before, at 16:00 on Saturday.
2. Is the Monza race a Sprint weekend?
No. Formula 1 runs a standard weekend format at Monza in 2026, with three practice sessions and one qualifying session. Formula 2 and Formula 3 each run their own Sprint races as part of the support programme, but this doesn’t change the Formula 1 schedule.
3. What time do the gates open at Monza?
The organiser hasn’t confirmed 2026 gate times yet. Reseller estimates suggest around 07:00–07:30 on race day, but we recommend checking closer to the event before you plan your journey.
4. Is there a Thursday session at Monza?
The official 2026 timetable starts on Friday. There’s no confirmed Formula 1 track activity on Thursday this year.
5. What time is qualifying at Monza?
Formula 1 Qualifying is on Saturday 5 September at 16:00 local time.
6. What time is the Italian Grand Prix in UK and US time?
The race starts at 14:00 in the UK, 09:00 US Eastern, and 06:00 US Pacific.
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