For the second time this season, a grand prix has been declared a heat-hazard race, as the summer heatwave lingers on.

The Italian Grand Prix was given the official designation as it is forecasted that temperatures will be more than 31C at some point during today's race.

The ambient temperatures around Monza, north-east of Milan, is expected to be 33C today.

They peaked at 36C on Wednesday afternoon near Milan's Linate airport.

The ruling means drivers can use a system that flows cooled liquid, such as glycol, through a system of pipes in a fireproof top worn under their overalls.

The cooling kit is not mandatory, but any driver who chooses not to use it has to carry 5kg of ballast in their car to ensure they do not have a competitive advantage.

Lorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist at Monza

Image source, BBC Sport

Gosia, Kasia, Piotr and Jagna are a family of Charles Leclerc fans from Poland. The hat in question that Jagna is holding is of Leo Leclerc, Charles' dog, as the Ferrari logo. The little pup isn't here today, but his wife, Alex, looking beautiful in red, is.

So why have the family picked Leclerc as their number one driver? "It's his passion for Ferrari and how he can give to the tifosi," says Jagna. "It's really special."

Gosia says the experience of Monza is "out of this world", adding: "It's amazing. It's definitely something else from watching the race at home, coming here, and supporting with the other tifosi."

With both Leclerc and team-mate Lewis Hamilton gaining a grid place because of Oscar Piastri's penalty, could a double podium be on the cards? "I hope so, it's not impossible," says Jagna.

If Leclerc wins, the atmosphere will be "very loud", predicts Gosia. "And so will the love and the happiness from the people here."

Image source, Getty Images

Red Bull will be without Isack Hadjar for a second consecutive race, with the Frenchman missing today's Italian Grand Prix as he continues to recover from a wrist injury he sustained during the summer.

Hadjar, 21, missed last month's Dutch Grand Prix and is once again replaced by New Zealander Liam Lawson in Monza.

Lawson, who normally races for Red Bull's second team, Racing Bulls, will compete alongside Max Verstappen this weekend - after finishing seventh last time.

Lawson's spot at Racing Bulls is once again filled by reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda.

On Wednesday, Red Bull said Hadjar - who broke his wrist while boxing - was making "encouraging progress" and that the team would not be taking any "unnecessary risks" with his return to competition.

Red Bull are fourth in the constructors' championship standings, behind Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren.

Lorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist at Monza

Image source, BBC Sport

Canadians Anthony and Chris both live and work in Italy and are visiting the Italian Grand Prix for the first time.

"I've been a Charles guy ever since he was with Alfa Romeo," says Anthony.

"Don't get me wrong, I like Lewis - seven-time world champion, how could you go wrong? But in Italy, the Italian fans support Ferrari, it doesn't matter the drivers. As long as one of them brings it home, that's all that matters."

Anthony adds a podium or win for the Scuderia is a possibility today, but he also mentions home driver Kimi Antonelli.

"Italy is very patriotic - I married an Italian - so of course they are supporting him for the championship," he adds. "As long as one of their boys (Ferrari or Italian) is bringing it home, that's fine."

BBC Weather

The temperatures peaked at 34C yesterday with the track temperature a good 20 degrees warmer.

Today? Well it's a bit cooler than that...but not by much. It's forecast to be around 33C for the race.

Hot hot!

Lorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist at Monza

Image source, BBC Sport

Anton and Tim are stood at the packed food court with England shirts on with 'Hamilton 44 Still I Rise' written on the back. English? "We’re from the Netherlands," the two fans say. So... not Max Verstappen fans?! "Nooooo! And we never have been," jokes Tim.

As she can see from the shirts, the two are massive Hamilton supporters. With the seven-time world champion 59 points behind Kimi Antonelli in the title fight, can he claim that elusive eighth title this season? "For sure, he can do it," says Anton.

"Maybe with a little bit of luck - but he needs Charles Leclerc," adds Tim.

So, is this the point in the campaign where Leclerc has to become the number two driver to Hamilton? "Yes, for sure," says Tim. "At least for this season."

Image source, BBC Sport

Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent at Monza

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella predicts a “very interesting race” at Monza this afternoon. “I’m actually not sure that it’s easy to think how it will unfold,” he says.

Alpine and Pierre Gasly did a perfect job to be on pole, while everyone else was compromised in one way or another, but on Friday they were only the fifth-fastest car on race pace behind Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull.

On top of that, energy management will make this a difficult race for the drivers to manage. The slipstream, so powerful in qualifying, will remain so in the race, potentially putting drivers in a difficult conundrum over whether to use the boost mode to pass a slower car, as this comes with a compromise in leaving a driver short on electrical power afterwards. “If you start to play with the boost and overtake cars,” Stella says, "you may get overtaken and you may start to lose overall the time in the race. But at the same time, if you're faster, you may want to pass."

Monza is a one-stop race. Degradation is expected to be low, and the tyres are very even in performance. George Russell, in second place on the grid in the fastest car, is the only driver with a new set of mediums. But both Ferrari and McLaren drivers and Max Verstappen all have a new set of softs. Use them off the start, or potentially in an aggressive final stint if the medium can run long enough to make the strategy medium-soft, rather than soft/medium-hard?

For what it’s worth, the strategy model provided by F1 has Russell winning from Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc and Gasly. But it is rarely correct. A pit stop takes about 24 seconds under green-flag conditions, 15 under a safety car.

Lorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist at Monza

Image source, BBC Sport

The hottest (quite literally, it’s baking once again in Monza) ticket in town is the pre-race paddock. There are people everywhere, including five-time Grand Slam champion Jannik Sinner.

The Italian is not competing at the US Open this year, so as he’s as a big F1 fan, he’s travelled to his home race.

The scrum to get Sinner’s photograph is brutal (mine is of the back of his head) but then I spot Ferrari fan Julieta who is absolutely elated to have met him, with a member of her group also grabbing a photo. “It was amazing!! My grandfather made me a fan of his. Unbelievable!!” she says.

Image source, Julieta

Julieta is hoping for a Scuderia victory today: “I really want Lewis Hamilton to win, I believe in that, but if Charles Leclerc wins, it would also be amazing.”

I’ve been asking Ferrari fans their feeling about Kimi Antonelli this weekend. The 20-year-old could end Italy’s 73-year wait for a home title, but if he does do it, it’ll be in Mercedes silver.

Julieta says a victory for Kimi today, although he is starting at the back of the grid, “would be important for Monza because he’s Italian”, and Ferrari “could maybe” offer their support to the 20-year-old if he succeeds this season.

“But I prefer Hamilton,” she adds.

Ever wondered what it takes to survive the extreme physical demands of Formula 1?

Harry Benjamin steps out of the commentary box and into the gym with McLaren driver Oscar Piastri as he learns how F1 drivers train their neck.

As for me? Ah well, I'm in peak physical condition so none of this applies to me of course.

Lorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist at Monza

Image source, BBC Sport

There's something very special waiting for Lewis Hamilton at Monza today.

French artist Constantin Vincent , externalhas created this portrait of the seven-time world champion using old karting tyres and acrylics, with fans' memories and favourite things about Hamilton also added.

"There is 'remember who you are mate', his trophies, his number 44, 'Hammertime', 'Still I Rise'," says the 24-year-old, who was a finance student before going full-time as an artist three years ago, and has also made portraits of tennis' Grand Slam champions Rafa Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

"It's really is a tribute to Hamilton and to all the community," he adds.

The artwork took 50 hours to produce, and Constantin has been on a mission with the help of the F1 fanbase to deliver the piece to the Ferrari driver this weekend.

"The F1 community are very engaged, and a lot of people asked me to do [a portrait] of Hamilton," he says. "So, I take time to create and learn about the driver, and it was a pleasure to discover this guy and discover his values."

Image source, EPA

A quarter of an hour before the qualifying session which delivered the biggest surprise pole position in Formula 1 for years, Alpine's Pierre Gasly was playing online chess with Mercedes driver George Russell and winning.

"I must say before the quali, I felt pretty confident," the Frenchman said, "because I was picking piece by piece after piece."

Gasly's performance coach Ben Thorne was watching.

"For a fun story," Gasly said, "Ben told me, 'OK, well, you're getting George here, but he's going to get you in a few minutes.'"

Gasly said he reacted with a swear word but he was smiling as he recalled the moment.

"Turned out that it worked out well. So yeah, it's been fun," he added.

Read more on Gasly's reaction to his pole position here.

Image source, PA Media

Prior to today's Grand Prix, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel returned to the track where he sealed his maiden race win for Toro Rosso in 2008.

Vettel took part in the Michael Schumacher Legacy Celebration Run and drove Schumacher's iconic Ferrari F2002 around Monza to mark the 30th anniversary of the seven-time champion's first win for the Prancing Horse.

Schumacher won five times at Monza - in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006 - while Vettel sealed the win at the circuit on three occasions.

Image source, Getty Images

Lorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist at Monza

Image source, Getty Images

Kimi Antonelli has been hailed as a generational talent in Formula 1; the driver who can end the 73-year wait for an Italian world champion.

In March, Antonelli became the youngest-ever championship leader when he sealed victory in Japan at 19 years, seven months and four days.

And he has stayed there ever since.

This weekend, Antonelli arrives at the Italian Grand Prix with a 59-point advantage at the top of the standings after winning six races so far this year.

There is just one small issue: the young star drives for Mercedes, not Italy's beloved Ferrari.

"Ferrari is my heart," says Thomas, who is Monza born and bred, to BBC Sport at the circuit on Friday.

"It's a religion," says Emanuele, who is at the grand prix with his daughter, Matilde. "In Italy, we do support other teams and other sports, but there is only one Ferrari."

Ferrari is Formula 1 in Italy; natives joke that the position of Scuderia team principal is just as important as the identity of the Pope.

So, with fans flocking to worship at the Temple of Speed, just how doItalians feel about Antonelli battling Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc for race wins and the drivers' championship?

Read more here.

Right, lots of penalties to wrap our heads around this starting grid.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli will start from 19th on the grid after taking an additional power unit for this weekend, along with Alex Albon who will start 20th.

Fernando Alonso and Liam Lawson will start from the pit lane after also taking additional power unit elements and making changes under parc ferme.

Oscar Piastri was handed a three-place penalty after impeding Lawson during qualifying and will drop back to sixth.

The grid:

1. Pierre Gasly
2. George Russell
3. Charles Leclerc
4. Lewis Hamilton
5. Max Verstappen
6. Oscar Piastri
7. Franco Colapinto
8. Lando Norris
9. Arvid Lindblad
10. Gabriel Bortoleto
11. Ollie Bearman
12. Nico Hulkenberg
13. Carlos Sainz
14. Esteban Ocon
15. Yuki Tsunoda
16. Valterri Bottas
17. Sergio Perez
18. Lance Stroll
19. Kimi Antonelli
20. Alex Albon
21. Fernando Alonso
22. Liam Lawson

Here's a poll for you at the top of the page.

Who do you think will take the chequered flag at the Italian Grand Prix? We have eight options for you.

Cast your votes and we will share the results before the race gets under way.

Does anyone think Kimi Antonelli can come from 19th to win the race? How about Lando Norris making it in three wins in a row from eighth? Can Pierre Gasly convert his stunning pole into victory

As always share your thoughts via the 'Get Involved' button.

Image source, Getty Images

Mercedes continue to lead the charge in the constructors' championship with George Russell's sprint win in the Netherlands and Kimi Antonelli's six wins this season bolstering their points tally.

McLaren have crept into the picture somewhat by virtue of Lando Norris' successive race wins but Ferrari remain in second place and are less than 100 points behind Mercedes.

Alpine, following Friday's ruling on the Monaco Grand Prix, have a slightly reduced points tally.

Meanwhile Cadillac are still to score a point in their first season in Formula 1.

Image source, Getty Images

Kimi Antonelli leads by 59 points over joint second-placed drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

Russell, who led the final two practice sessions and will line up P2 for today's race, is currently second in the standings by virtue of his two wins this season.

Lando Norris, who strung together back-to-back wins thanks to his triumph in the Netherlands, is 83 points behind but is rapidly chasing the leading pack.

Pole sitter Pierre Gasly is 10th in the standings.

Jay Freeman
BBC Sport

Oh it's the end of summer alright. But that doesn't mean the temperatures will be anything other than scorching for today's Italian Grand Prix.

Pierre Gasly stunned the grid with a belter of a lap to take pole position for today's race - the first time a Frenchman has taken pole position at Monza since Jean Alesi achieved the feat in 1997.

But with championship leader Kimi Antonelli starting from the back of the grid due to an engine penalty, can George Russell put his foot to the floor from P2 and gain some ground on his Mercedes team-mate's lead?

And what of the rest of the pack? Ferrari certainly lost pace but could still be in the mix. Likewise McLaren and Max Verstappen will be knocking on the door.