F1 Drivers Brace for 5MJ Monza Test as 2026 Cars Lose Top Speed
Updated
Updated · The Race · Sep 4
F1 Drivers Brace for 5MJ Monza Test as 2026 Cars Lose Top Speed
3 articles · Updated · The Race · Sep 4
Summary
Monza is set to expose the 2026 cars’ biggest weakness yet, with drivers expecting an unusually slow, awkward Italian Grand Prix because battery energy runs out on the circuit’s long straights.
Simulator work suggests top speeds could be lower than at Hungary, not because cars fade by 30-40 km/h mid-straight, but because they never reach Monza’s usual 350-360 km/h peaks.
The FIA’s 5MJ harvesting limit for this weekend should prevent extreme super-clipping, yet drivers still expect little scope to recover energy or gain time through clever lift-and-charge tactics used at Spa.
Qualifying may be the biggest headache: cool-down laps could become extremely slow under the standard 5MJ cap, while auto-K battery deployment near Parabolica may create 50-60 km/h speed gaps and traffic risks.