WATCH: Huge Charles Leclerc crash brings out Monza F1 red flag
The Italian Grand Prix has been red-flagged after just two laps of racing due to a crash for Charles Leclerc
The 2026 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix has been red-flagged on the third lap of 53 after a huge crash for Ferrari's Charles Leclerc at the final corner.
It was a dramatic start to the race at Monza, as Charles Leclerc and his Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton got close on the exit of the first chicane, with the latter touching the gravel and dropping down to 10th.
Leclerc continued in the podium places, briefly taking second from polesitter Pierre Gasly in the Alpine before being repassed by the Frenchman.
On the second lap, Leclerc was battling with McLaren's Oscar Piastri into the final corner.
Leclerc held off the McLaren, but lost the rear of his Ferrari going through the turn as he touched the green-painted area and was thrown heavily into the tyre barrier.
The safety car was called on the third lap, before the red flag came out at the end of the third tour.
Leclerc climbed out of his car and appeared unharmed.
The Monegasque driver last crashed at Monza exactly six years ago today during the 2020 Italian Grand Prix at the same corner.
On that day, current polesitter Gasly won his first and, so far, only F1 race, when he was an AlphaTauri driver.
The Italian Grand Prix restarted at 3:39pm local time.
At the time of the red flag, Mercedes driver George Russell had taken the lead from Gasly, while Max Verstappen is up to third in the Red Bull.
The red flag has been well-timed for Verstappen, who started on the soft tyre and can now freely change his compound.
Franco Colapinto sits fourth in the sister Alpine, while Piastri is fifth and McLaren team-mate Lando Norris sixth.
Arvid Lindblad is seventh in the Racing Bull ahead of Hamilton, and the Haas duo of Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon.
Championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli rose from 19th on the grid after a penalty for an engine change to 12th at the red flag in the second of the Mercedes.
