Ferrari has officially confirmed that both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will receive a fresh power‑unit upgrade for the upcoming Italian Grand Prix at Monza. This marks the second engine‑related development package the Scuderia has been allowed to introduce this season, following the two additional development and upgrade opportunities (ADUO) granted by the FIA earlier in the year. Under the new 2026 Formula One power‑unit regulations, manufacturers are permitted to bring performance‑enhancing upgrades if they fall behind the benchmark set by the leading engine supplier—in this case, Red Bull Powertrains.
After the first ADUO assessment, the FIA concluded that Ferrari’s internal‑combustion engine was more than four percent slower than Red Bull’s reference unit, triggering the right to develop and install a corrective package. Ferrari’s first ADUO‑driven upgrade was rolled out at the Austrian Grand Prix in June, where the team introduced a revised turbocharger and a revised combustion mapping aimed at extracting a few extra kilowatts. The Monza upgrade will be a further step, targeting both the internal combustion engine and the hybrid components to improve overall efficiency and outright power. By the time the cars line up on the start‑grid at the historic Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, both drivers will be on the fourth power unit of the season, which is still within the allocation that avoids any grid‑penalty for exceeding the permitted number of engines.
"From a performance perspective we are bringing an updated power unit as part of the development opportunities allowed under ADUO," said Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur in a press briefing. "It is a positive move in the right direction, especially in a year where every marginal gain counts. Monza is a very demanding circuit, and the competition is incredibly tight. Our aim is to execute every element of the weekend flawlessly, starting from Friday’s sessions." Vasseur added that the team hopes to draw extra inspiration from the passionate Tifosi who line the grandstands at their home race.
"We want to give our fans a strong performance and a memorable weekend," he explained, underscoring the emotional weight of a home event for a marque as storied as Ferrari. The upgrade package for Monza includes a refined energy‑recovery system that should improve the deployment of the MGU‑K (kinetic) and MGU‑H (heat) units, allowing the drivers to extract more usable power from the hybrid system during the high‑speed straights that define the circuit. Additionally, the team has tweaked the engine’s fuel‑flow mapping to optimise combustion under the unique aerodynamic loads experienced at Monza, where low drag and high top‑speed are paramount. Beyond the technical details, the schedule for the weekend has been released, offering fans a full slate of support series and F1 sessions.
Thursday, September 3, will feature a drivers' press conference at 1 p.m., followed by the Paddock Uncut at 4 p.m. Friday’s program includes F3 and F2 practice sessions, the first Italian Grand Prix practice session (starting at 11:30 a.m.), qualifying sessions for the junior categories, and the F1 Show at 4:15 p.m., capped by the team bosses' press conference at 5:20 p.m.
Saturday, September 5, will see the F3 sprint, the third practice session for the Grand Prix (beginning at 11:30 a.m.), the F2 sprint, and the build‑up to the main qualifying session, which takes place at 3 p.m. The day concludes with a special segment called "Ted's Qualifying Notebook" at 5 p.m. Finally, Sunday, September 6, will host the F3 and F2 feature races, the Porsche Supercup, and the main event—the Italian Grand Prix—starting at 2 p.m. The race will be followed by post‑race analysis and reaction segments.
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the entire weekend will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming options available through the NOW platform, which offers a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime service. The race weekend promises intense on‑track action, as the upgraded Ferrari power units will be put to the test against a field that is exceptionally close in performance after a season of rapid development across all teams. In summary, Ferrari’s decision to introduce a second ADUO‑approved engine upgrade at Monza reflects both regulatory compliance and a strategic push to close the power gap with Red Bull.
The enhancements aim to deliver higher horsepower, better hybrid efficiency, and more consistent performance throughout the demanding high‑speed layout of the Italian circuit. With the support of a fervent home crowd and a meticulously planned race weekend, Hamilton and Leclerc will have a strong platform to challenge for podium positions and potentially secure valuable points for both the drivers' and constructors' championships.