By: Andrea Kimi Antonelli took victory in the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Monza, cheered on by the red-clad crowd despite wearing Mercedes overalls. Earlier that day, however, track action had begun with another hugely exciting race: Formula 3, which ended with another Italian on the top step of the podium, Pisa’s Nicola Lacorte.
It was the DAMS driver’s first victory in the category, as well as the first ever by an Italian at Monza in Formula 3. At Formula1.it, we had the opportunity to speak with Nicola and, discussing that success, asked him how he felt after crossing the line and how important the fans were, having turned out in large numbers from Thursday’s fan zone, when he and the other junior-category protagonists took to the stage for the customary interviews.
“Taking my first win at Monza was a special emotion because, after all the work we have done together with the team over these two years, during which we struggled, the results have finally come. And, as I said, achieving it here at Monza was special because I was the first Italian to win in Formula 3 at home.”
Continuing, the Tuscan added: “As for the fans, from Thursday, when we were in the fan zone, they made themselves heard, making me feel at home and giving me so much support.”
At Monza, as had already happened in Monte Carlo, the 30-driver grid was split into two groups in order to prevent incidents or simply traffic from affecting the most important session of the weekend. The regulations therefore stipulated that the fastest driver from the two groups would start from pole, with the other members of that group lining up behind him on the same side of the grid, while the 15 drivers from the other group occupied the alternating slots.
After the allotted 10 minutes, Lacorte finished second in his group behind pole-sitter Freddie Slater, securing third overall. Looking back at Friday, Nicola explained: “Qualifying was a good starting point because in these categories there are few laps to adapt. For example, in qualifying we only had one push lap. Nevertheless, I managed to stay up at the front and be competitive from free practice onwards.”
Turning his attention to Saturday’s race, he said: “The Sprint, rather than being difficult, was a race to manage so as not to risk penalties or incidents before the more important race, while the Feature was an all-in for me, where I gave practically everything I had left because I knew how important it was to start up front and how many points were at stake for the championship.”
Going into more detail, he added: “As I said, the Sprint was a matter of using my head. I was much more conservative and tried to gather as much data as possible without making mistakes or having incidents that would have compromised the Feature. This choice was crucial because, with the team, we understood some things, including the start, which was important and allowed me to be fighting for the top positions straight away on Sunday, whereas it had been a problem on Saturday that we then managed to solve.”
“It was very useful to manage everything in this way, working intelligently during the Sprint to get the most out of Sunday’s main race.”
Racing at home, with the backing of the fans, can provide that extra boost capable of making the difference. Returning to that subject, the Tuscan wanted to thank everyone: “The fans made themselves heard throughout the weekend. It was very nice to be able to hear them, see them and be close to them in the fan zone on Thursday. That was when I really understood how much they support us, even though we are still in junior categories such as Formula 2 or Formula 3. They already believe in us and support us as if we were in F1. All of this gave me a special boost for my performance in general and, honestly, it is not only about racing at home: it is the people who make you feel at home.”
Despite his victory only a few days ago, there is no time to rest. Formula 3 will return to action this weekend for the final round of the season in Madrid, where the 2026 championship title will also be decided.
Looking ahead to the weekend, Lacorte offered further details on the circuit: “Madrid is a very particular, difficult track and new to everyone. Testing did not go as we wanted, so I expect there will be a lot of work to do. The goal will be the usual one: to do the best possible. I did not arrive at Monza thinking about winning; I only wanted to do my best from the first lap of free practice. I will therefore use the same mentality in Spain, starting strongly and then continuing to improve in qualifying and the races.”
“I think this is really crucial in Formula 3, especially given the very little track time available to us. You always have to set yourself small targets, without expecting everything straight away, and I will work as hard as possible to get the best out of Madrid too.”
We thank Nicola Lacorte for his courtesy and availability during the interview, as well as Gianpaolo Matteucci for his support in making it possible. Partial reproduction of this exclusive interview is permitted provided the author (Giuseppe Cianci) and Formula1.it are credited, with a link to the original content.
All the news, photos, weather, session times and times from the Italian GP 2026
