...and the constructors' championship.

Image source, Formula 1

Almost race time. Here's a quick look at the drivers' championship...

LH44 Pogba:  The all important start at Monza. History favours #P1, external, but the new start regulation leaves all fingers crossed.  

Andrew Priestley:  Kimi Raikkonen has nothing to lose in the World Championship standings, so he will be super aggressive into turn one. Lewis beware.

Robert Muir:  Italian blue skies, smell of coffee and high octane in the air, Matt Monroe on the iPod and a Ferrari 1,2.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer at Monza

“The grid at Monza was not, let’s say, the most surprising line-up, at least at the front - Mercedes and Ferrari locking out the front two rows, and Williams on the third. Behind them, the Mercedes customer cars of Force India and Lotus were led by Sergio Perez’s Force India.

“At Lotus there was a nice little story behind Romain Grosjean taking eighth. Arriving at the track on Saturday morning after an overnight thunderstorm, the team found their tyre blankets water-logged, and only three sets working - with six needed for qualifying. To the rescue came Ferrari, Sauber and Toro Rosso. Ferrari - whose technical director James Allison is good friends with Lotus trackside operations director Alan Permane - even went beyond the call of duty, taking one of their own sets of tyres out of blankets to ensure Lotus had everything they needed. Permane was overwhelmed by the generosity of his rivals - especially as Toro Rosso and Sauber are Lotus’s direct rivals in the constructors’ championship. ‘I am humbled,’ he said. ‘I can’t thank them enough.’”

A rousing rendition of the Italian national anthem gets the home fans going, while coloured  smoke from an air display fills the sky above. Superb atmosphere at Monza as the start of the race approaches.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel (third on the grid), racing at Monza as a 'home' driver for the first time, said: "This year, finally, I'm in the right colours.

"I can't make any promises but we will push as hard as we can. Today it would be very, very special to be on the podium."

The Sunday Times say that Ferrari are 'back with a bang' after qualifying second and third, ahead of Mercedes' Nico Rosberg. It contrasts their performance with the 'cull of managerial and technical staff' that occurred this time last year as they failed to finish on the podium during 2014.

Image source, Sunday Times

Image source, Getty Images

Sebastian Vettel is also looking emulate the likes of Michael Schumacher (1996) and Fernando Alonso (2010) in winning on his first appearance at Monza for Ferrari.

Image source, Getty Images

Sebastian Vettel has won two of the last four races in Italy, with Lewis Hamilton winning the other two.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer at Monza

"How the mighty have fallen. By size, budget, ambition and reputation, McLaren and Red Bull ought to be competing with Mercedes and Ferrari at the front of the grid. But the failures of engine partners Honda and Renault to come to terms with the new hybrid formula mean they line up at the back today, along with Toro Rosso compiling a total of 168 grid places in penalties. 

"It is a going to be a long afternoon for both teams - especially the McLaren drivers who can realistically expect to make no progress, so down on power is the Honda engine compared to everything else.”

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo (19th on the grid after engine penalties): "We can only go forwards from where we are. If it gets boring at any point, I can have a look and see some crazy fans doing crazy things."

Ricciardo, smiling as always. What a champ.

Angela:  This will be a exciting start

B:  The F1 penalties this weekend are ridiculous #notcricket, external

Jeremiah Kariuki:  Putting my wager on Lewis winning, Kimi second and Massa having a good race to take 3rd! Expecting a good start by Williams.  

Image source, Getty Images

Max Verstappen also has a drive-through penalty to serve early on after his car was released in an unsafe condition during qualifying. 

All in all not a great weekend so far for the young rookie.

The pit lane is open and the cars head on out to the grid. Max Verstappen reports that his seat is moving around again, after finding it a bit loose in practice also.

McLaren's Jenson Button (15th on the grid) describes Monza as "a great place to drive" because "the Tifosi are always massively supportive, there is so much history and passion here". 

Referring to the doubts surrounding the future of the race, Button describes any suggestions of Formula 1 not coming to Monza as "a terrible idea".

Image source, EPA

Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi is at Monza today and met Bernie Ecclestone earlier.

I wonder if the future of the Italian Grand Prix was discussed, with no deal in place for Monza to hold the race from beyond 2016.

Williams' Valtteri Bottas, who starts is optimistic of a good result today: "I think we will be stronger in the race than in qualifying so it should be good fun. We can finish on the podium."

Allan McNish
BBC Radio 5 live analyst

Watch the full video as Allan McNish explains how F1 teams get extra speed in Italy here.

There was an amusing moment in Saturday's BBC qualifying show involving Felipe Massa, who lines up fifth on the grid in the Williams today.

The Brazilian had his young son alongside him, who was clutching a little toy Ferrari car.

"It is not even me, it is Alonso," said Massa, who left Ferrari to join Williams in 2013.