Former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe has handed Ferrari and its fans his belief that the Scuderia can be "cautiously optimistic" about this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
F1's annual visit to Monza represents the biggest weekend of Ferrari's season, with it being the ultimate pressure-cooker event for the Maranello-based outfit.
Ferrari consistently introduces an upgrade package especially for its home race, in pursuit of securing victory at one of the most iconic races on the calendar.
With Ferrari having failed to claim a podium in the last two races, there will be pressure on the team to return to the rostrum at the very least, if not challenge for victory.
A special livery has already been unveiled by Ferrari, while the Italian manufacturer is also introducing its second engine upgrade of the year in pursuit of Mercedes.
Ferrari, and in particular Lewis Hamilton, do remain in the title fight, although a strong result is needed this weekend to keep genuine hopes alive.
Predicting whether Ferrari will perform strongly or not has been a challenge in 2026, with it often performing well at venues where it is expected to struggle, and then doing badly where it is expected to thrive.
Discussing Ferrari's chances this weekend, Hinchcliffe told the F1 Nation podcast: "Well, it's interesting, right? Because they've been competitive at tracks that maybe we weren't expecting them to be, and then vice versa, maybe a little bit off the pace at some tracks that we kind of thought they were going to be right up front.
"I think of Silverstone and even Spa. They were decent, and you're heading to Monza, a big horsepower track. They seem to have found something in that department.
"They always seem to have a little bit of something special there, don't they? I mean, they are usually competitive. Even in seasons when they're not that competitive in other places, they seem to focus.
"It's like they build their car around Monza, and then, okay, we'll figure the rest out as we go. So, I mean, cautiously optimistic for the Tifosi that they can have a strong weekend. Again, they didn't qualify particularly well at Spa, if I remember, but they were decent in the race."
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365’s Nick Golding and Samuel Coop as they look ahead to this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix! The duo assess whether Lando Norris can continue his title charge and the significance of Kimi Antonelli’s grid penalty.
Rather watch the podcast? Then click here!
Get the latest F1 news from RacingNews365 directly in your Google feed! Click on the link below and you’ll see your favourite F1 website appearing even more often. That way, you’ll never miss any news, analyses, interviews, or exclusives.
Follow RacingNews365 on GoogleMost read
In this article
Never miss a thing from the Formula 1 season! Add the 2026 F1 schedule to your calendar at the touch of a button. Subscribe below and put the dates and times of every race directly on your PC or smartphone, so you don't miss a second from the new season.
Download the F1 calendar Download the F1 calendar
A variant with just the race and qualifying is also available.
Click here to download it..
Join the conversation!