Six races this season have had a driver racing at home. None of them has won. On Sunday, Monza makes it seven, and our championship leader Kimi Antonelli will start from the back regardless of qualifying.
The home race curse has been consistent this season. For starters, Australia. Piastri qualified fifth, ahead of Norris. But then he crashed on his reconnaissance lap to the grid, over the exit kerb at Turn 4 and into the wall, destroying the car. He didn't even start the race.
Next, Leclerc in Monaco. Ferrari looked like the team to beat all weekend. After a restart, Leclerc crashed and retired. Antonelli won instead, and Leclerc's retirement helped hand Gasly a podium, one that is still being argued over in an FIA appeal court three months later.
Verstappen in Zandvoort. He went into the wall at the final corner on the opening lap, with zero laps completed. And with Zandvoort leaving the calendar, he didn't get to finish his last ever home race.
Some of the quieter mentions include Stroll's fifteenth in Canada. Four British drivers lined up at Silverstone and Leclerc won it. Two Spaniards raced at Barcelona and Hamilton won that one.
Now, Antonelli in Monza. He is starting last because Mercedes chose his home race as the cheapest place to take a full power unit change. Deliberate, not unlucky.
Fourteen of the twenty-two drivers on this grid have a home race in 2026. Six of those races have happened, and the curse hasn't missed once. Yet.