Hitech F2 ready for high-speed Monza challenge
Round 10 – Monza – Preview
Hitech returns to FIA Formula 2 Championship racing this weekend as the season resumes at Monza for Round 10 and the start of the final third of the 2026 campaign.
Following the six-week summer break between races, Colton Herta and Ritomo Miyata head to Italy ready to get back on track after a busy few weeks of preparation. Both drivers have been hard at work in the simulator and gym, while the team has used the break to review the opening nine rounds and prepare for the final five events of the season.
Few circuits in world motorsport carry the history and atmosphere of the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Opened in 1922 and known around the world as the Temple of Speed, generations of drivers have raced on its hallowed asphalt, while the passion of the Italian tifosi creates a backdrop unlike almost anywhere else on the calendar.
That atmosphere will be in full force this weekend as Formula 2 joins the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix programme, with Monza traditionally drawing huge crowds to the parkland circuit.
The 5.793km track is also one of the most distinctive technical challenges of the season. Long straights and heavy braking zones demand a low-downforce set-up, with straight-line speed, braking stability and confidence over the kerbs all crucial to a quick lap.
Slipstreaming plays an important role throughout the weekend and can make qualifying particularly tactical, with drivers looking for a tow while also trying to find enough space to complete a clean lap. The long approaches to the Rettifilo and Roggia chicanes also create opportunities to race wheel-to-wheel, making Monza a circuit where positions can change quickly.
Hitech headed into the summer break after the Hungaroring, where both drivers recovered positions across the Sprint and Feature Races following a difficult qualifying session.
With five rounds remaining and the championship now entering its final third, Monza marks the beginning of an important run to the end of the season, with Madrid and Baku following in September before the final two rounds.
Jan Sumann, Hitech's F2 Head of Race Engineering:
“It’s great to be going racing again. The summer break has given us some valuable time to look back at the first nine rounds and prepare for the final part of the season. Colton and Ritomo have both been working hard to be able to hit the ground running, and everyone is looking forward to getting back on track.”
Jan continued:
“Monza is always a special place to race. There’s so much history here and the atmosphere from the Italian fans makes it a weekend everyone looks forward to.
“From a technical perspective, it’s a very different challenge to Hungary. Straight-line speed is obviously important, but you also need a car that gives the drivers confidence under heavy braking and over the kerbs. Qualifying can be particularly tricky because of the importance of the tow, so executing each session well will be key to putting ourselves in a strong position for both races.”
