Italian F1 Grand Prix 2019: Start Time, Drivers, TV Schedule and More

Ferrari head to Monza for the 2019 Italian Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday hoping to claim victory in their home race for the first time since 2010.

The Italian team celebrated their first win of the season last time out at the Belgium Grand Prix when Charles Leclerc took the chequered flag and clinched his maiden F1 victory.

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton came in second in Belgium and will again provide stiff competition as he aims for his sixth win in Italy.

The 34-year-old could not pip Leclerc to top spot at Spa but still managed to extend his lead in the world championship standings to 65 points from team-mate Valtteri Bottas with eight races remaining.

Date: Sunday, September 8

Time: 2:10 p.m. BST/9:10 a.m. ET

TV Info: Sky Sports F1 (UK), ESPN (U.S.)

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), ESPN Player (U.S.)

For a full list of the drivers, visit the F1 website

Preview

Ferrari's superior straight-line speed over Mercedes will provide the Italian team with optimism they can achieve back-to-back victories for the first time since 2018.

Alfa Romeo driver Antonio Giovinazzi shared a lap of the track at the famous circuit:

Leclerc comes into the race fresh from his first F1 victory and has topped the times in first and second practice ahead of Hamilton and Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel:

Ferrari are a distant second in the constructor's championship, 145 points behind Mercedes, and while the title looks long gone, a victory in their home Grand Prix would prove a highlight in a disappointing season.

However, team principal Mattia Binotto has warned his team can not afford to get anything wrong if they are to end their long wait for a win at Monza, per the official F1 website.

"We've seen that to win, we need to do everything perfect, from the quali, to the start, to the team management, to the drivers themselves, so nothing can be left," he said. "I expect that it will be very difficult in Monza, so we will need to be perfect there, knowing that Mercedes may be competitive as well."

There will be added pressure on the team to perform in front of their own fans. Ferrari have celebrated their 90th anniversary in 2019, and Sunday's race is the 90th edition of the Italian Grand Prix:

Ferrari's biggest challenge will come from Mercedes and Hamilton. The British driver equalled Michael Schumacher's record of five Italian GP wins in 2018, and he believes his team can challenge, per Matt Morlidge and James Galloway at Sky Sports.

"I was expecting them to be quick on a straight, which they are, but there's enough corners in which we're able to gain it back. They're not really that quick through the corners, so it kind of balances us out. I still think it's going to be a really hard race, but we are on a similar level, which is quite nice."

Sunday's race looks set to be another battle between the top two teams in F1. Leclerc heads into the weekend with momentum and will be Ferrari's best chance for victory, but Hamilton has enjoyed great success at this track and tends to thrive in the run-in.