Fernando Alonso has stated Monza is now not the Temple of Velocity after dramatically decrease prime speeds on the Formulation 1 Italian Grand Prix.
The 53-lap race on Sunday was an exhilarating affair, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli snatching the win from his teammate George Russell within the dying embers.
However for drivers like Alonso, it was a less-than-exciting return to the enduring Monza circuit.
The 2026 engine laws have caught loads of criticism from the followers and drivers alike. The 50-50 cut up between the ICE and the battery this season has meant the vehicles max out when it comes to prime pace fairly shortly.
Given the inherent format of the circuit with its lengthy straights and a dearth of heavy braking zones to recharge the battery, prime speeds have been as a lot as 10+ km/h in deficit to the erstwhile ground-effect and turbo-hybrid vehicles.
Aston Martin itself might solely handle 319 km/h as its highest recorded prime pace. This prompted Alonso to primarily strip Monza of its ‘Temple of Velocity’ moniker.
“It was totally different from what we’ve skilled to date at Monza,” he stated.
“We arrive right here and it says we’re coming into the ‘Temple of Velocity’. Nevertheless it’s now not the ‘Temple of Velocity’.
“In Barcelona, I believe we reached 350km/h or 360km/h, and in Budapest, 355km/h. And in Monza, we have been round 312km/h. So, it’s now not the ‘Temple of Velocity’.”
The Italian GP was a “troublesome weekend” of short-lived “enjoyable” for Fernando Alonso
Alonso retired from the Italian GP on Lap 23, from what he believes was suspension harm picked up by using a kerb too aggressively popping out of the second Lesmo.
It capped off what the two-time F1 World Champion referred to as a “troublesome weekend”. Regardless of the chassis upgrades on the AMR26 bringing in factors at Zandvoort, final day trip, Alonso was cautious of the struggles the staff might face at a power-sensitive circuit like Monza.
That stated, Alonso did level out how battling with the Cadillacs was a “enjoyable” albeit short-lived journey.
“Yeah, I believe I received harm on the automotive,” Alonso had instructed F1TV.
“I went over the kerb at Flip 7, and one thing felt unusual – suspension or one thing. It was troublesome, identical as the entire weekend.
“We have been with the Cadillacs, so a minimum of we had just a little little bit of enjoyable within the race. However, yeah, a troublesome weekend.”
Up subsequent is the Spaniard’s second house race of 2026 on the brand-new Madring circuit within the Nation’s capital of Madrid.
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