Italy – Before leaving Europe, back to basics in the temple of speed

« It’s a unique and incredible circuit, you surely can’t deny it.

Just a few words are all Jenson Button needs to summarize the enthusiasm of the drivers, teams, and especially the tifosi for this Italian Grand Prix. Located north of Milan, the Monza circuit always draws crowds. Fans here are renowned for their good cheer and exceptional atmosphere, who mainly come to support Ferrari. The proximity is even more significant since the Prancing Horse’s headquarters is on the outskirts of Modena, in the famous city of Maranello, just 200 kilometers to the south!

At the beginning of the myth, a majestic oval track.

Contested today on a circuit 5.793 kilometers long and made up of 11 turns, the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza is the stage for the most impressive average and maximum speeds of the season. With only 51 gear changes, the driver accelerates flat-out for 71% of the lap. The top speed is mind-blowing for a Formula 1 car: 365 km/h. The fastest lap in the history of a Formula 1 car on a circuit is also held here at Monza, by Juan Pablo Montoya during the Qualifying for the 2004 Italian Grand Prix, in his Williams F36, with an average of 262.242 km/h.

Consequently, it’s not for nothing that the circuit is simply nicknamed “The Temple of Speed”.

The Italian Grand Prix is thus one of the monuments of the Formula 1 calendar. After a first race organized in Italy in 1921 in Brescia, won by a Frenchman, Jules Goux (winner of the 1913 Indianapolis 500), work was undertaken by the Automobile Club of Milan to build a circuit in the Royal Park of Monza. In 1922, the third permanent circuit in history after Indianapolis and Brooklands opened its doors.

After the war, on September 3, 1950, the first race labeled the Italian Grand Prix was held, although on a circuit that had been trimmed of its oval.

Final round of this first season in the history of Formula 1, it was won by Italian Giuseppe Farina for Alfa Romeo. A total triumph for Italy, which forever holds in its ranks the first-ever world champion of the premier discipline. In 1955, the organizers decided to transform the facilities: following the original 1922 plan, the oval was added. The two banked turns, called “bankings,” had a radius of about 320 meters, with a slope elevated to 80% from its starting point!

The last curve of the road-course section also attracted attention, with a new upright curve, symmetrical with respect to an axis, in a U-shape. The famous Parabolic turn had just been born. The combination with the road section created a circuit 10 kilometers long. 4 races (1955, 1956, 1960, and 1961) were contested on this configuration, for a total race distance of precisely 500 kilometers.

Included in the Formula 1 calendar since 1950, with the exception of some renovation work in 1980, Monza has continuously been the setting for the Italian Grand Prix. The Curva Grande, the two Lesmo turns, the Ascari chicane, or of course the Curva Parabolica—fantastic turns, but also very dangerous. Monza claimed the lives of 35 spectators and 52 drivers, including distinguished names: Alberto Ascari in 1955, Wolfgang von Trips in 1961, Jochen Rindt in 1970, Ronnie Peterson in 1978. Ascari died in private testing and was adored by Italy, giving his name to a turn that remains on the current track, while Jochen Rindt was crowned posthumously (the only driver in such a case) after his accident during free practice, driving his Lotus 72.

Many modifications continued to be undertaken, notably by adding several chicanes intended to reduce the speed of the drivers. The last one on the circuit map was made in 2000, with this tight chicane marking the first and second turns, the Variante del Rettifilo. Finally, in 2014, a change was applied to the shoulders: the gravel trap of the Parabolica was replaced by a strip of asphalt, which is supposed to slow down the stray course of competitors even more.

The natural lair of the Tifosi, devoted to the cause of a Prancing Horse.

Monza remains a land of happiness for the Tifosi, who flock in large numbers to the surrounding stands. With 18 victories, Ferrari is the most victorious constructor of all time. It was here that Michael Schumacher announced his first retirement in 2006, following an Italian Grand Prix, which he of course won for Ferrari. With 5 victories, the Red Baron still holds the record for wins on this majestic circuit. With a potential fourth win, Lewis Hamilton could become the second all-time record holder behind Schumacher. Currently, 8 drivers have three wins each, including Hamilton and also Sebastian Vettel, who, in 2008, achieved an incredible victory in torrential rain for the modest Scuderia Toro Rosso, which remains to date the only win for Red Bull’s little sister team. At 21 years and 74 days, the German remained the youngest winner of all time until May this year, when he was surpassed by a certain Max Verstappen…

Fortunately for the fans, Monza has recently managed to keep its place on the calendar. However, without a contract at the end of the 2016 season, it was a close call for the Lombard track, which will still remain on the calendar at least until 2019.

Sergio Marchionne is watching you

For the national Grand Prix, the entire Ferrari team will need to pay the utmost attention to achieving their goals. After a lackluster weekend in Belgium with somewhat disappointing qualifications and especially a new collision between the team’s two drivers during the race, the team will need to bounce back quickly if they want to avoid the wrath of their president. Following the departure of James Allison – former technical director – a few weeks ago, the Scuderia needs to deliver more than convincing results if Maurizio Arrivabene, team principal, wants to keep his position until the end of the season. For the beauty of the sport and to have an enthusiastic crowd this Sunday around the circuit, we hope that Ferrari will show itself at its best.

A showdown at the top at Mercedes

Nico Rosberg was an almost anonymous winner last Sunday on the legendary Spa circuit where every driver dreams of leaving their mark, much like in Monaco. The race excitement with Max Verstappen and the Ferraris, along with the comebacks of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, left little space for the German to celebrate his victory. With six victories each and only 9 points separating them, the Mercedes drivers should create the excitement this weekend to determine who is in better shape at the end of the European tour. The exceptional conditions of the Belgian Grand Prix meant that the teammates did not meet on the track (with Hamilton starting 21st), so we couldn’t see who between Hamilton or Rosberg was more charged up after the summer break, even though Lewis’s comeback offers some clues.

The Aftermath of Spa-Francorchamps

The multiple on-track battles last week did not result in any penalties, nor even any investigation from the race direction. We saw, however, that actions during the race, notably by Max Verstappen, led to numerous reactions in the paddock, but the FIA remained unmoved. We can therefore wonder if, after a first part of the season where penalties were regularly handed out to drivers who exceeded the limits—not just of the track—the stewards have decided to take a step back by allowing more freedom for drivers to sort things out on track. We know that F1 has lost some of its appeal in recent years, and giving spectators intense battles, sometimes neck and neck in races, might be a solution for the sport to regain its former glory. No official statements on this side, so let’s wait until Sunday to find out if, as Sebastian said so well in an interview after the race at Spa: “We are not here to cry—for asking a penalty. We are here to race.” and if the FIA will maintain this approach on penalties.

Magnussen authorized to participate in the Grand Prix

The Renault team announced on Thursday that Kevin Magnussen successfully passed the FIA’s mandatory medical tests and is cleared to participate in the Italian Grand Prix. After a major crash at the Raidillon exit during the sixth lap of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, tests conducted at the local hospital revealed only cuts on the Danish driver’s ankle. The former McLaren driver will thus compete in this weekend’s Grand Prix with a replacement chassis due to the complete destruction of the one he used during Sunday’s race.

To (really) know everything…

After Danny Sullivan at Spa-Francorchamps, a new non-starting driver in Formula 1 will be the chief steward in Italy. This time, it’s Mr. Le Mans himself, Tom Kristensen, who will be in charge. A test driver for Minardi, and later for Tyrrell, Williams, and Jaguar between 1997 and 1999, the nine-time winner of the endurance flagship race will make judgments on a well-known track, with the DRS zones remaining unchanged from the 2015 season. The first will be established on the start/finish straight, while the second is set after the second Lesmo, in the Curva del Serraglio, before the Ascari chicane sequence.

On the tire side, the super-soft, soft, and medium will once again make up the range available for the drivers, details of which are listed below.

Finally, on the weather front, the forecast predicts a warm and dry race weekend. The maximum temperature will be around 30 degrees while it should not drop below 19 degrees. Despite a few light clouds on Saturday and Sunday, there seems to be no risk of rain disrupting the smooth running of the 2016 Italian Grand Prix!