There is a beautiful saying for Italy, as there exist only two religions, one is Christianity, and the other is Ferrari. Yes, you heard it right, Ferrari is more than just an automotive brand for the Tifosis. After a coveted summer break, F1 returns to the temple of speed. The Italian Grand Prix remains the most prestigious F1 race on the calendar. With its unleashed trails for motorsport racing, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza is renowned for its high-speed thrills. Let us delve into its enriched history, stats, and records made for the Tifosi.
History Of The Italian Grand Prix: Autodromo Nazionale Monza
Monza Circuit in 1980, Pic Credit: F1 Italy
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza, also known as Monza Circuit, was built in 1922. This track is one of the oldest and the world’s third racing tracks after Brooklands and Indianapolis on the mainland of the European continent. The track is situated in the Royal Villa Of Monza Park and was constructed by the Automobile Club Of Milan. During its initial stage, the design was proposed by architects Alfredo Rosselli and Piero Puricelli. This new circuit was 10 km long and considered one of the fastest circuits of that time.
Automobile Club Of Milan HQ, Pic Credit: Automobile Club di Milano
But with a new track came new challenges. In 1928, an incident occurred where an F1 driver, Emilio Materassi, crashed into the barrier and killed 27 spectators on the spot. This accident shocked the racing world, and no races were organized from 1930 to 1934. Then, after World War II, the racing was again held at the Monza circuit in 1947. The Italian Grand Prix of Monza was inaugurated for the first time in the F1 World Championship in 1950, following the postwar era.
From 1950 till date, Monza has been organizing F1 races for decades. With this, it became the only racing track in the history of Formula 1 that hosted F1 races every year since 1950. Through time, many configurations were changed in the circuit layout to exert modern-technology F1 cars. The circuit was known for its high-speed turns and apex that earned the nickname “ The Temple Of Speed.”
Stats Of The Italian Grand Prix
Monza Circuit, Pic credit: F1 Chronicle
Monza is one of the most iconic racing tracks in the world, and it's the home track for most of the automotive brands that have taken part in the F1 Championship since 1950. Brands like Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Lancia have tested their newly launched cars on the track before the actual official debut. Let us look at some of the stats made at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza Circuit.
Circuit Name | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza |
Circuit Length | 5.793 KM |
Race Distance | 306.720 KM |
No. Of Laps | 53 |
First Grand Prix | 1950 |
Last Grand Prix | 2023 |
No. Of Turns | 11 |
DRZ Activation Zones | 2 |
Monza Circuit has hosted more Formula One races than any other F1 racing circuit in history. Since 1950, 73 races have been hosted at Monza, and till now, 40 F1 drivers have won a race at the circuit. The track is famous for its high-speed straights and overtaking chicanes. Some famous corners also exist under its reign. So let us revisit some of the iconic corners at Monza.
Variant del Rettifilo: This is the very first chicane that a racer can be seen after the main grandstand.
Curva Grande: is one of the high-speed straight curves that might cause overtaking maneuvers.
Curva Parabolica: This chicane is renamed Curva Alboreto. In the memory of late Italian driver Michele Alboreto.
Curve di Lesmo: These two medium-speed right turns excel in overtaking opportunities.
Records made at the Italian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton
The Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, or the Monza Circut, is famous for its long straights. With iconic fast-paced Lesmo corners. Monza, home to the Tifosi fans, has a remarkable attachment to this track. The homeland of the Ferrari F1 team and most-awaited Italian Grand Prix held the fastest race in F1 history, where Ferrari legendary driver Michael Schmuacher completed the race with an average speed of 153.842 mph in 2003. Let us take a look at some honorable records made by various drivers at the Italian Grand Prix.
Most Wins | Michael Schumacher (5), Lewis Hamilton (5). |
Most Pole Positions | Lewis Hamilton (7) |
Fastest Lap Record | 1:21.046 (Rubens Barrichello, 2004) |
Most Podiums | Lewis Hamilton(10) |
Most Win by F1 Constructor | Ferrari (19) |
Michael Schmuacher and Lewis Hamilton are both at the top of winning the Italian Grand Prix, winning more times than any other drivers on the grid. Will the Mercedes legend, Lewis Hamilton, surpass the most Grand Prix wins in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix? Tell us in the comments below. For more interesting blogs on F1, please subscribe to us for more such updates.
