Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix: the inside track

Italy and auto racing. If this combination doesn’t send you reeling just take a peek into the histories of Formula 1 and Ferrari. There is distinctive passion there that no one can deny.

Caution: Italian GP Boredom Could Harm Health

6 September 2011

Predictions for this week’s Italian Grand Prix look similar to pretty much every other race this season. However concern is growing that watching too much boring Formula 1 coverage on the telly could actually turn your brain to mush. ... Read more »

Italian Grand Prix Leaves Long Legacy
8 June 2010
The Italian Grand Prix’s Monza track is the oldest built-for-purpose racing circuit still used in Formula 1, which means there is no shortage of interesting facts to discover on the racing action. Monza was one of the inaugural Formula 1 ... Read more »
- Track Tactics: Italian Grand Prix Approach
- Italy’s Greatest Remembered
Red Bull Pace Won’t Rule Spa
23 August 2011
The Belgium Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps Circuit marks the 12th race of Formula One’s 2011 season. This historic circuit hosted its first Grand Prix in 1924, and has been home to the Belgian Grand Prix on a permanent basis ... Read more »
- Budapest Battle of Red Bulls Expected
- The German Grand Prix: Pace is the trick

Tips for the Italian Grand Prix

1Ferrari has won the most races at Monza, with 16 victories since 1951; Rivals McLaren won eight times, while Williams triumphed on six occasions.
2The Italian Grand Prix has seen seven drivers score maiden victories. Most notable was Ferrari’s Phil Hill, who in 1960 became the first American to win a Grand Prix.
3Monza Park, provides race-goers with a restaurant, a self-service eating area, two bars, a bank counter information office, specialist sports shops and a racing bookstore.
4If you want to spend the race weekend at the circuit, there is an attractive campsite on the north side of Monza Park.

Information & History of Italian Grand Prix

Information
Monza takes car setup to many extremes. In recent years, top speeds at the Belgian Grand Prix have been as high as 370kph, and the higher the speed, the higher the stress on the car. Teams must run the lowest downforce settings of the season due to the numerous straights and low number of challenging corners. Full throttle is used for nearly 70 percent of a lap, demanding unusual durability from the engines, transmissions and braking systems to accelerate and then decelerate from such high speeds. Because of this, the components brought to the Italian Grand Prix are often unique or newly introduced.

History
The Italian Grand Prix has one of the longest histories in the world of auto racing. With the exception of two years following the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the years during World War II, the race has been held annually since 1921. All but a handful of them have been held at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, a circuit that is memorable for the astonishing speeds achievable in its banked corners and long straights. Safety became an issue as early as 1928, which saw the worst racing accident in Italy to date. Despite the chicanes and altered Monza used by Formula 1 today, the time spent at full throttle during a lap is one of the highest of all venues.