The 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza produced the most dramatic example yet of the new yo-yo racing phenomenon that has defined this season.
Yo-yo racing describes a pattern where cars can complete overtakes using electric boost energy but cannot break away or hold position once that energy runs out.
Monza’s long straights amplified this effect dramatically, with the enormous slipstream tow further enhancing electric overtake mode and allowing slower cars to stay with faster rivals.
Max Verstappen was the clearest example of this dynamic, lacking the power unit performance to genuinely threaten Mercedes but still able to stick with George Russell for extended periods.
Verstappen was equally powerless to defend whenever Russell got behind him and activated overtake mode, creating a frustrating cycle at the front of the race.
“To be honest, [I didn’t enjoy it] a lot when people just drive by you like you’re a turtle,” Verstappen said, describing the sensation of being passed on Monza’s straights despite having fresher tyres.
Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton formed their own group mid-race, while Lando Norris and Pierre Gasly made up another pack further behind, all trapped in the same yo-yo cycle.
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella noted that even a faster car struggled to convert its pace into progress when it was unable to clear a rival and pull clear quickly.
“We see that there’s certainly been quite a lot of entertainment, but to some extent there were also some issues for a quicker car to be able to compete if you don’t start at the front of the grid,” Stella said.
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur explained that attacking a rival drained his cars’ batteries, leaving them vulnerable on the very next straight they needed to defend.
“When we were attacking someone, we were draining the battery, and next straight line we were losing the position,” Vasseur said, summing up the impossible situation his drivers faced.
Stella described the Monza weekend as one of the busiest of the entire year for engineers and drivers alike, with energy management becoming the dominant performance element.
“This could make a [difference per lap] of as much as half a second, the combination of the slipstream and the fact that you have a car behind that you start to use the boost to defend [against] and then you lose a lot of pace,” Stella added.
Stella concluded that Monza 2026 would be remembered as the most significant race under the new regulations, though Mercedes still held a clear step advantage over everyone else in terms of deployment.
While Russell was stuck in the yo-yo battle at the front, team-mate Kimi Antonelli produced a stunning charge through the field from 19th on the grid to take a remarkable victory.
Antonelli ran as high as sixth after the lap six restart and consistently moved from group to group in a way no other driver managed throughout the afternoon.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff credited Antonelli’s ability to navigate traffic as the decisive factor, comparing the 20-year-old’s performance to Lewis Hamilton’s similar exploits in previous seasons.
“The differentiator today was the ability going through the traffic,” Wolff said, adding that when a driver and car are in sync, nothing can stop them from cutting through the field.