How to watch F1: 2021 Italian Grand Prix start time and TV schedule

Formula 1’s second ever sprint qualifying takes place this weekend on the Saturday ahead of the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.

Monza plays host to round 14 of the season and it’s an intriguing one following Red Bull’s recent domination over a single lap.

While pole position on Friday is a nice prize, it isn’t the major factor it was last weekend at Zandvoort, especially with a one-third distance race on Saturday deciding the final starting grid.

Monza’s straights and DRS zones mean that passing is less of an issue so there is a chance for Mercedes to steal some valuable points back ahead of Sunday’s main event.

Max Verstappen leads the way following his seventh victory of the season, three points clear of title rival Lewis Hamilton on 224.5.

With his home victory, Verstappen now has the most victories without winning an F1 drivers’ championship crown. Victory for him at Monza may be the beginning of the end for Mercedes’ unmatched run of dominance dating back to 2014.

Here are all the TV schedules, timings and highlight shows you need to be aware of this weekend for the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.

How many laps is the Italian Grand Prix?

The 2021 Italian Grand Prix is scheduled for 53 laps of the Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit. The Sprint Qualifying event is set to run 18 laps and will set the starting grid for Sunday’s race.

Where to watch

As usual, Sky Sports F1 is the place to watch every single session from the Italian GP race weekend. Friday practice will be the prelude to qualifying though the fastest laps won’t be setting the grid this weekend. Sprint qualifying returns for the second of three trial races this year, and will be shown live on Sky Sports F1 with highlights available on Channel 4.

Sky Sports F1 – Live

Friday: FP1 – 1pm | Qualifying – 4:20pm

Saturday: FP2 – 10:30pm | Sprint Qualifying: 2:35pm

Sunday: Race – 12:30pm

Channel 4 – Highlights

Saturday: Sprint Qualifying – 6:30pm

Sunday: Race – 6:30pm

How to stream

NowTV is the easiest option for streaming the race weekend live on mobile, tablet or smart TV devices. Weekend passes give you full access to the Sky Sports F1 channel and each session, including pre and post-session coverage.

Who will win?

Last year’s Italian Grand Prix showed that overtaking was possible but that the DRS train could become a real issue for those in pursuit of another driver.

This year’s sprint event is sure to shake-up the grid a little more than last season, though the main contenders at the front will likely be separated by fractions of a second like at Zandvoort. Mercedes theoretically should perform stronger here with more straights and less corners while Red Bull might suffer a step back from last weekend.