Lights, Legends, Action! Lightning McQueen Arrives as Vettel Takes Schumacher’s Ferrari

The Italian Grand Prix at Monza is set to deliver a weekend blending Formula 1 tradition with pop culture, as Lightning McQueen, Sebastian Vettel and a major Michael Schumacher tribute take centre stage alongside the racing action.

Disney and Pixar’s Lightning McQueen will make a special appearance at the historic circuit as part of celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of Cars. The fictional racing star is expected to take part in an honorary lap, while the Formula 1-Disney partnership has been extended through 2028, bringing the animated franchise closer to the real world of motorsport.

Ferrari, meanwhile, will turn Monza into a celebration of Schumacher’s enduring legacy. The weekend marks 30 years since the German joined Ferrari and won his first Italian GP with the team in 1996. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton will race specially prepared SF-26 cars carrying design elements inspired by Schumacher’s first Ferrari, the F310, including his “MS” emblem and seven stars representing his seven world titles.

Three iconic Schumacher-era Ferrari cars the F310, F2002 and 248 F1 will also feature during the weekend. Former Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello will drive the F2002 on Saturday, before four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel takes the wheel for a commemorative lap ahead of Sunday’s race.

Adding an artistic twist to the weekend is Pirelli’s unusual “FRAGILE” trophy. Designed by Italian artists vedovamazzei, the unconventional award resembles a precariously balanced stack of household vessels and represents the delicate balance behind sporting success.

With Disney nostalgia, Ferrari history, Vettel’s return and Schumacher’s legacy converging at the Temple of Speed, Monza 2026 promises to be one of the most visually distinctive weekends on the F1 calendar.