Formula 1 heads to Monza to conclude a triple header with one of the most prestigious races on the calendar - the Italian Grand Prix.

World championship leader Max Verstappen is looking to win a fifth consecutive Grand Prix after winning in his native Netherlands last weekend.

Race preview

If the championship battle was not effectively over before the Dutch Grand Prix, Verstappen made sure that he had one hand on the World Championship trophy by the conclusion of the race.

The Dutchman ended the weekend with pole position, fastest lap and the race win to increase his championship lead to 109 points.

Although, Verstappen did not have it all his own way in Zandvoort, with Lewis Hamilton seemingly on course to claim his first victory of the season at one point of the race.

However, an ill-timed virtual safety car and a questionable strategy call to pit his teammate George Russell during the full safety car period allowed Verstappen to overtake the seven-time world champion with relative ease.

While Hamilton slipped back to fourth place, Russell will be looking for another successful weekend after claiming second position in the Netherlands.

Charles Leclerc was the third man on the podium, helping the 24-year-old move joint second in the championship alongside Sergio Perez.

Red Bull will be demanding an improvement from the Mexican who has finished on the podium in just one of the last five races.

Elsewhere, Sainz is hoping for a far more successful weekend following an eighth-placed finish in the Netherlands, which leaves him in fifth position in the World Championship.

Meanwhile, the Alpine team would have been pleased with sixth and ninth position for Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon last weekend.

That result leaves Alpine in fourth place in the constructors' world championship, leaving them 24 points clear of McLaren, who are dreaming of replicating last season's Italian Grand Prix where they achieved a one-two finish.

Track Guide

After being opened in 1922, Monza is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its foundation and it is certainly a track that excites the drivers.

The circuit is dubbed the 'Temple of Speed', which tests the pace of the cars, while also offering mesmerising corners like Parabolica.

Monza contains a number of long straights for drivers to reach top speed and on race day their overtaking attempts will also be aided by the DRS.

The first DRS zone is situated on the pit straight, while the second one begins from turn seven all the way down to turn eight.

Hamilton and Michael Schumacher are the most successful Formula 1 drivers to race at Monza, with five wins apiece at the Italian Grand Prix.

Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel is a three-time winner around the circuit, while Alonso was victorious in 2007 and 2010.

Leclerc and Pierre Gasly have also previously stood on the top step at Monza, as well as Daniel Ricciardo who finished in front of his teammate Lando Norris in last year's race.

Ferrari are the most successful team to race at their home Formula 1 Grand Prix, having won the race on 19 occasions, with Leclerc the most recent Ferrari driver to win at Monza.

Qualifying Results

1. Charles Leclerc
2. George Russell
3. Lando Norris
4. Daniel Ricciardo
5. Pierre Gasly
6. Fernando Alonso
7. Max Verstappen
8. Nyck de Vries
9. Zhou Guanyu
10. Nicholas Latifi
11. Sebastian Vettel
12. Lance Stroll
13. Sergio Perez
14. Esteban Ocon
15. Valtteri Bottas
16. Kevin Magnussen
17. Mick Schumacher
18. Carlos Sainz
19. Lewis Hamilton
20. Yuki Tsunoda

Leclerc will start at the front of a mixed grid for the Italian Grand Prix after claiming pole position in Saturday's qualifying session.

Despite qualifying in second place, Verstappen will drop down to seventh place as one of nine drivers who have varying penalties.

Sainz, Perez and Hamilton qualified third, fourth and fifth respectively, but they are among those that have been penalised, and as a result they drop down the grid.

Russell starts in second place in front of an all-McLaren second row, while Gasly begins the race from fifth spot in his AlphaTauri.

Nyck de Vries replaced Albon, who has been ruled out of the weekend with an appendicitis, and he will begin his first Formula 1 Grand Prix from eighth position.

Driver Standings

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 310
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 201
3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) - 201
4. George Russell (Mercedes) - 188
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) - 175
6. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - 158
7. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 82
8. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) - 66
9. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) - 59
10. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) - 46
11. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) - 22
12. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) - 20
13. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) - 19
14. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) - 18
15. Mick Schumacher (Haas) - 12
16. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) - 11
17. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) - 5
18. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - 5
19. Alexander Albon (Williams) - 4
20. Nicholas Latifi (Williams) - 0
21. Nico Hulkenberg (Aston Martin) - 0

Constructor Standings

1. Red Bull - 511
2. Ferrari - 376
3. Mercedes - 346
4. Alpine - 125
5. McLaren - 101
6. Alfa Romeo - 51
7. Haas - 34
8. AlphaTauri - 29
9. Aston Martin - 25
10. Williams - 4

We say: Charles Leclerc to win

With Verstappen, Sainz and Hamilton all affected by grid penalties, we think that Leclerc will make the most of a promising opportunity to win his second Italian Grand Prix.

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