The Monza Circuit ( it, Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, , National Automobile Racetrack of Monza) is a

race track A race track (racetrack, racing track or racing circuit) is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals (e.g. horse racing or greyhound racing). A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also use ...

near the city of

Monza Monza (, ; lmo, label= Lombard, Monça, locally ; lat, Modoetia) is a city and ''comune'' on the River Lambro, a tributary of the Po in the Lombardy region of Italy, about north-northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the Province of Mon ...

, north of

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city has ...

, in Italy. Built in 1922, it was the world's third purpose-built motor racing circuit after

Brooklands Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields, ...

and

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

and the oldest in

mainland Europe Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous continent of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, b ...

. The circuit's biggest event is the

Italian Grand Prix The Italian Grand Prix ( it, Gran Premio d'Italia) is the fifth oldest national Grand Prix (after the French Grand Prix, the United States Grand Prix, the Spanish Grand Prix and the Russian Grand Prix), having been held since 1921. In 2013 ...

. With the exception of the

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – In ...

running, the race has been hosted there since

1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2022. * January 2 – ...

. Built in the

Royal Villa of Monza The Royal Villa (Italian: ''Villa Reale'') is a historical building in Monza, northern Italy. It lies on the banks of the Lambro river, surrounded by the large Monza Park, one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe. The Royal Villa, which is a ...

park in a woodland setting, the site has three tracks – the Grand Prix track, the Junior track, and a high speed oval track with steep bankings which was left unused for decades and had been decaying until it was restored in the 2010s. The major features of the main Grand Prix track include the ''Curva Grande'', the ''Curva di Lesmo'', the ''Variante Ascari'' and the ''Curva Alboreto'' (formerly ''Curva Parabolica''). The high speed curve, Curva Grande, is located after the ''Variante del Rettifilo'' which is located at the end of the front straight or ''Rettifilo Tribune'', and is usually taken flat out by Formula One cars. In addition to Formula One, the circuit previously hosted the

1000 km Monza The 6 Hours of Monza (formerly the 1000 Kilometres of Monza and known after 1966 as "Trofeo Filippo Caracciolo") is an endurance race, mainly for sports cars, which is held at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Italy. Overview Despi ...

, an endurance sports car race held as part of the

World Sportscar Championship The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992. The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance, and road racing events in Europe and North ...

and the

Le Mans Series The European Le Mans Series (abbreviated as ELMS) is a European sports car racing endurance series inspired by the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The European Le Mans Series is similar to the fo ...

. Monza also featured the unique

Race of Two Worlds The Race of Two Worlds (Trofeo dei Due Mondi in Italian), also known as the ''500 Miglia di Monza'' (500 Miles of Monza), was an automobile race held at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy in 1957 and again in 1958. It was intended as ...

events, which attempted to run Formula One and USAC National Championship cars against each other. The racetrack also previously held rounds of the

Grand Prix motorcycle racing Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start of ...

(

Italian motorcycle Grand Prix The Italian motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. From 1949 to 1990 the event was known by the it, Gran Premio Delle Nazioni (''Nations Grand Prix''). It was one of the original ...

), WTCC,

TCR International Series The TCR International Series was an international touring car championship. The championship was promoted by World Sporting Consulting (WSC), founded by former World Touring Car Championship manager Marcello Lotti. It was marketed as a cost-ef ...

Superbike World Championship Superbike World Championship (also known as WorldSBK, SBK, World Superbike, WSB, or WSBK) is a silhouette-class road racing series based on heavily modified production motorcycles, also known as superbike racing. The championship was founded in ...

Formula Renault 3.5 Series The World Series Formula V8 3.5, formerly the World Series by Nissan from 1998 to 2004, the Formula Renault 3.5 Series from 2005 to 2015 and the Formula V8 3.5 in 2016 and 2017, was a motor racing series promoted by RPM Racing (1998–2004) and R ...

and

Auto GP Auto GP, sometimes referred to as the Auto GP World Series and formerly known as both Euro Formula 3000 and the Euroseries 3000, was a European formula racing series. The series' roots can be traced back to 1999 and the Italian Formula 3000 serie ...

. Monza currently hosts rounds of the

Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup The GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, formerly for sponsorship reasons the Blancpain Endurance Series from 2011 to 2015 and Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup from 2016 to 2019, is a sports car racing series developed by SRO Motorsports Gr ...

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and

Euroformula Open Championship The Euroformula Open Championship (formerly the Spanish Formula Three Championship, European F3 Open Championship) is a junior formula racing series based in Spain. It was one of six national and international Formula Three championships in Europ ...

, as well as various local championships such as the TCR Italian Series,

Italian GT Championship The Italian GT Championship (''Campionato Italiano Gran Turismo'') is an Italian sports car series founded in 2003 and organized by the Automobile Club d'Italia (ACI) and the Commissione Sportiva Automobilistica Italiana (CSAI). It replaced a ...

Porsche Carrera Cup Porsche Carrera Cup (sometimes abbreviated PCC) is a number of one-make racing by Porsche premier series competed with, initially Porsche 911 Carrera Cup, then later Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars. The cars are specifically built by Porsche for one ...

Italia and

Italian F4 Championship Italian Formula 4 Championship is the first formula racing series regulated according to FIA Formula 4 regulations. The inaugural season was the 2014 Italian F4 Championship, effectively replacing the Formula Abarth. History Gerhard Berger an ...

, as well as the Monza Rally Show. In 2020, Monza hosted the

2020 World Rally Championship The 2020 FIA World Rally Championship was the forty-eighth season of the World Rally Championship, an auto racing competition recognised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) as the highest class of international rallying. ...

final round, ACI Rally Monza, with the circuit hosting 10 of the 16 rally stages. Monza also hosts cycling and running events, most notably the Monza 12h Cycling Marathon and Monza 21 Half Marathon. The venue was also selected by

Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...

scientists for the Breaking2 event, where three runners attempted to break the 2 hour barrier for the

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

Eliud Kipchoge Eliud Kipchoge ( ; born 5 November 1984) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon and formerly specialized at the 5000 metre distance. Widely regarded as the greatest marathon runner of all time, he is the 2016 and 2020 ...

ran 2:00:25. A very fast circuit, Monza has been the site of many fatal accidents, especially in the early years of the Formula One world championship, and has claimed the lives of 52 drivers and 35 spectators. Track modifications have continuously occurred, to improve spectator safety and reduce curve speeds, but it is still criticised by the current drivers for its lack of

run-off area A run-off area is an area on a motorsport race track used for racer safety. Run-off areas are usually located along a road racing circuit where racers are most likely to unintentionally depart from the prescribed course. There are different typ ...

s, most notoriously at the chicane that cuts the ''Variante della Roggia''.

History

Early history

Bundesarchiv Bild 102-01319, Italien, Monza, Autorennen

Bundesarchiv Bild 102-01321, Italien, Monza, Autorennen

The first track was built from May to July 1922 by 3,500 workers, financed by the Milan Automobile Club – which created the ''Società Incremento Automobilismo e Sport'' (SIAS) (English: ''Motoring and Sport Encouragement Company'') to run the track. The initial form was a site with of

macadam Macadam is a type of road construction, pioneered by Scottish engineer John Loudon McAdam around 1820, in which crushed stone is placed in shallow, convex layers and compacted thoroughly. A binding layer of stone dust (crushed stone from the ...

ised road – comprising a loop track, and a road track. The track was officially opened on 3 September 1922, with the maiden race the second Italian Grand Prix held on 10 September 1922. In 1928, the most serious Italian racing accident to date ended in the death of driver

Emilio Materassi Emilio Materassi (October 30, 1894 – September 9, 1928) was an Italian Grand Prix motor racing driver. Early life Born in Borgo San Lorenzo, near Florence, Italy, Emilio began working in a bicycle shop, learning the basics of applied mechanic ...

and 27 spectators at that year's Italian Grand Prix. The accident led to further Grand Prix races' confinement to the high-speed loop until 1932. For these reasons the Italian Grand Prix wasn't held again until 1931; in the meantime the 1930 Monza Grand Prix was held on the high speed ring only, while in 1930

Vincenzo Florio Vincenzo Florio Jr. (18 March 1883 – 6 January 1959) was an Italian entrepreneur, heir of the rich Florio entrepreneurial dynasty, one of the wealthiest Italian families during the late 19th century.1933 Italian Grand Prix was held on the original complete layout but it was marred by the deaths of three drivers (

Giuseppe Campari Giuseppe Campari (8 June 1892 – 10 September 1933) was an Italian opera singer and Grand Prix motor racing driver. Racing career Born near the city of Lodi southwest of Milan, as a teenager he went to work for the Alfa Romeo automobile compa ...

Baconin Borzacchini Baconin Borzacchini (Terni 28 September 1898 – Monza 10 September 1933) was an Italian Grand Prix motor racing driver often referred to as Mario Umberto Borzacchini. Biography Born Baconino Francesco Domenico Borzacchini in Terni in the Umbria ...

and

Stanisław Czaykowski Stanisław Czaykowski, also known as Stanislas Czaykowski and Stanislaus Czaykowski (10 June 1899 – 10 September 1933) was a Polish Grand Prix motor racing driver. In 1930 and 1933 Czaykowski competed in the French Grand Prix. In 1931 he won ...

) in the supporting Monza Grand Prix held on the same day - which became known as the "Black Day of Monza" - over the shorter oval circuit and the Grand Prix layout was changed: in 1934 a short circuit with two lanes of the straight line joined by a hairpin, ''Curva Sud'' of the banking (with a double chicane) driven in the opposite direction than usual, the "Florio link" and the ''Curva Sud'' (with a small chicane). This configuration was considered too slow and in 1935 Florio Circuit was used again, this time with four temporary chicanes and another one permanent (along the ''Curva Sud'' of the banking). In 1938 only the last one was used. There was major rebuilding in 1938–39, constructing new stands and entrances, resurfacing the track, removing the high speed ring and adding two new bends on the southern part of the circuit. The resulting layout gave a Grand Prix lap of , in use until 1954. The outbreak of World War II meant racing at the track was suspended until 1948 and parts of the circuit degraded due to the lack of maintenance and military use. Monza was renovated over a period of two months at the beginning of 1948 and a Grand Prix was held on 17 October 1948.

High speed oval

In 1954, work began to entirely revamp the circuit, resulting in a course, and a new high-speed oval with banked ''sopraelevata'' curves (the southern one was moved slightly north). The two circuits could be combined to re-create the former long circuit, with cars running parallel on the main straight. The first Lesmo curve was modified to be made faster, and the track infrastructure and facilities were also updated and improved to better accommodate the teams and spectators. The Automobile Club of Italy held

exhibition competitions, intended to pit

United States Auto Club The United States Auto Club (USAC) is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapol ...

IndyCar INDYCAR, LLC, is an American-based auto racing sanctioning body for Indy car racing and other disciplines of open wheel car racing. The organization sanctions five racing series: the premier IndyCar Series with its centerpiece the Indianapolis ...

s against European Formula One and sports cars. The races were held on the oval at the end of June in 1957 and 1958, with three 63 lap heat races each year, races which colloquially became known as the ''Monzanapolis'' series. Concerns were raised among the European drivers that flat-out racing on the banking would be too dangerous, so ultimately only

Ecurie Ecosse Ecurie Ecosse (French: "Scotland Stable") was a motor racing team from Edinburgh, Scotland. The team was founded in November 1951 by Edinburgh businessman and racing driver David Murray and mechanic Wilkie Wilkinson. Its most notable achievem ...

and

Maserati Maserati S.p.A. () is an Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer. Established on 1 December 1914, in Bologna, Italy, the company's headquarters are now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. The company has been owned by Stellantis since 2021. M ...

represented European racing at the first running. The American teams had brought special Firestone tyres with them, reinforced to withstand high-speed running on the bumpy Monza surface, but the Maseratis' steering was badly affected by the larger-than-usual tyre size, leading to the

Modena Modena (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language#Dialects, Modenese, Mòdna ; ett, Mutna; la, Mutina) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern I ...

-based team withdrawal. Ecurie Ecosse's three

Jaguar D-type The Jaguar D-Type is a sports racing car that was produced by Jaguar Cars Ltd. between 1954 and 1957. Designed specifically to win the Le Mans 24-hour race, it shared the straight-6 XK engine and many mechanical components with its C-Type ...

sports cars used their

Le Mans Le Mans (, ) is a city in northwestern France on the Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le ...

-specification tyres with no ill-effects, but since they raced at less than their practice speeds to conserve their tyres, they were completely out paced. Two heats in 1957 were won by

Jimmy Bryan James Ernest Bryan (January 28, 1926 – June 19, 1960) was an American racecar driver who won the 1958 Indianapolis 500. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway. Career ...

in his

Kuzma Kuzma may refer to: Locations * Kuzma, Kuzma, a settlement in the Municipality of Kuzma, Slovenia * Municipality of Kuzma, a municipality in Slovenia People *Kuzma, a Slavic given name derived from Cosmas **Kuzma Minin, Russian merchant and hero ...

Offenhauser The Offenhauser Racing Engine, or Offy, is a racing engine design that dominated American open wheel racing for more than 50 years and is still popular among vintage sprint and midget car racers. History The Offenhauser engine, familiarly ...

''Dean Van Lines Special'', and the last by

Troy Ruttman Troy Ruttman (born March 11, 1930 – May 19, 1997) was an American race car driver. He was the older brother of Jimmy Ruttman, and NASCAR driver Joe Ruttman. Ruttman won the Indianapolis 500 in 1952, at the age of 22 years and 80 days. , he is ...

in the Watson-

''John Zink Special''. In 1958

Jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...

Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988) in 1939 from the Alfa Romeo racing division as ''Auto Avio Costruzioni'', the company built its first car ...

and Maserati teams appeared alongside the Indy roadsters, but once again the American cars dominated the event and

Jim Rathmann Jim Rathmann (July 16, 1928 – November 23, 2011), born Royal Richard Rathmann, was an American race car driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1960. He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series in the 1949–1950 and 1952–1963 seas ...

won the three races in a Watson-

car. Formula One used the high speed track in the 1955,

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim ...

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Jan ...

and

1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba (Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 (K ...

Grands Prix.

Stirling Moss Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss (17 September 1929 – 12 April 2020) was a British Formula One racing driver. An inductee into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, he won 212 of the 529 races he entered across several categories of comp ...

and

Phil Hill Philip Toll Hill Jr. (April 20, 1927 – August 28, 2008) was an American automobile racing driver. He was one of two American drivers to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship, and the only one who was born in the United States ( ...

both won twice in this period, with Hill's win at Monza making him the first American to win a Formula One race. The 1961 race saw the death of

Wolfgang von Trips Wolfgang Alexander Albert Eduard Maximilian Reichsgraf Berghe von Trips (; 4 May 1928 – 10 September 1961), also known simply as Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips and nicknamed 'Taffy' by friends and fellow racers, was a German racing driver. He w ...

and fifteen spectators when a collision with

Jim Clark James Clark Jr. OBE (4 March 1936 – 7 April 1968) was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965. A versatile driver, he competed in sports cars, touring cars and in the Indiana ...

's Lotus sent von Trips' car airborne and into the barriers on Parabolica. Although the accident did not occur on the oval section of the track, the high speeds were deemed unsafe and F1 use of the oval was ended; future Grands Prix were held on the shorter road circuit, with the banking appearing one last time in the film '' Grand Prix''. New safety walls, rails and fences were added before the next race and the refuelling area was moved further from the track. Chicanes were added before both bankings in 1966, and another fatality in the 1968 1000 km Monza race led to run-off areas added to the curves, with the track layout changing the next year to incorporate permanent chicanes before the banked curves – extending the track length by . The banking held the last race in 1969 with the 1000 km of Monza, the event moving to the road circuit the next year. The banking still exists, albeit in a decayed state in the years since the last race, escaping demolition in the 1990s. It is used once a year for the Monza Rally, which served part of the

2021 World Rally Championship The 2021 FIA World Rally Championship was the forty-ninth season of the World Rally Championship, an auto racing competition recognised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) as the highest class of international rallying. T ...

, which was the first FIA championship event since 1969. The banked oval was used several times for record breaking until the late 1960s, although the severe bumping was a major suspension and tyre test for the production cars attempting endurance records, such as the

Ford Corsair The name Ford Corsair was used both for a car produced by Ford of Britain between 1963 and 1970, and for an unrelated Nissan-based automobile marketed by Ford Australia between 1989 and 1992. Ford Consul Corsair (1963–1965), Ford Corsair V4 (19 ...

GT which in 1964 captured 13 records.

Circuit changes and modernisation

Both car and

were regular attractions at Monza. These races involved drivers constantly slipstreaming competing cars, which produced several close finishes, such as in

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 5 ** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establishing full consular and ...

, 1969, and

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events Jan ...

. As the speed of the machines increased, two

chicane A chicane () is a serpentine curve in a road, added by design rather than dictated by geography. Chicanes add extra turns and are used both in motor racing and on roads and streets to slow traffic for safety. For example, one form of chicane is ...

s were added in 1972 to reduce racing speeds – the Variante del Rettifilo at the middle of the start/finish straight, and the Variante ''Ascari''. This resulted in a new circuit length of . Grand Prix motorcycles continued to use the un-slowed road track until two serious accidents resulted in five deaths, including Renzo Pasolini and

Jarno Saarinen Jarno Karl Keimo Saarinen (11 December 1945 – 20 May 1973) was a Finnish professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. In the early 1970s, he was considered one of the most promising and talented motorcycle racers of his era until he was ki ...

, in 1973, and motorcycle racing did not return to Monza until 1981. The 1972 chicanes were soon seen to be ineffective at slowing cars; the ''Vialone'' was remade in 1974, the other, ''Curva Grande'' in 1976, and a third also added in 1976 before the ''Lesmo'', with extended run-off areas. The Grand Prix lap after these alterations was increased to long. With technology still increasing vehicle speeds the track was modified again in 1979 with added safety measures such as new kerbs, extended run-off areas and tyre-barriers to improve safety for drivers off the track. The infrastructure was also improved, with pits able to accommodate 46 cars, and an upgraded paddock and scrutineering facilities. These changes encouraged world championship motorcycling to return in 1981, but further safety work was undertaken through the 1980s. Also in the 1980s the podium, paddock and pits complex, stands, and camp site were either rebuilt or improved. As motorsport became more safety conscious following the deaths of

Ayrton Senna Ayrton Senna da Silva (; 21 March 1960 – 1 May 1994) was a Brazilian racing driver who won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in , , and . Senna is one of three Formula One drivers from Brazil to win the World Championship and wo ...

and

Roland Ratzenberger Roland Ratzenberger (; 4 July 1960 – 30 April 1994) was an Austrian racing driver who raced in various categories of motorsport, including British Formula 3000, Japanese Formula 3000 and Formula One. Having had sporadic success throughout the ...

in at the

Imola circuit The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, better known as Imola, is a motor racing circuit in the town of Imola, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, east of Bologna. It is one of the few major international circuits to run in an a ...

, the three main long curves were "squeezed" in order to install larger gravel traps, shortening the lap to . In the stands were reworked to expand capacity to 51,000. In , the chicane on the main straight was altered, changing from a double left-right chicane to a single right-left chicane in an attempt to reduce the frequent accidents at the starts due to the conformation of the braking area, although it is still deemed unsafe in terms of motorcycle racing. The second chicane was also re-profiled. In the Formula 1 Grand Prix of the same year, the first to use these new chicanes, a fire marshal, Paolo Gislimberti, was killed by flying debris after a big pileup at the second chicane. In 2007, the run-off area at the second chicane was changed from gravel to asphalt. The length of the track in its current configuration is . At the 2010 Monza Superbike World Championship round, Italian rider

Max Biaggi Massimiliano "Max" Biaggi (; born 26 June 1971) is an Italian former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who achieved six World Championships. With four 250 cc road race titles and two in World Superbikes, he is one of only two r ...

set the fastest ever motorcycle lap of Monza when he rode his Aprilia RSV4 1000 F to pole position in a time of 1:42.121. In the Superpole qualification for the 2011 race, he improved on this lap time, for a new lap record of 1:41.745 and his speed was captured at 205+ MPH. In late 2016, work was planned on a new first bend, which would have bypassed the first chicane and the Curva Grande. Drivers were to go through a fast right hand kink and into a new, faster chicane. Work was planned for to be completed by 2017 in hopes of a renewed contract for Formula 1. Gravel would have also returned to the run-off area at the Parabolica bend. However, plans for the track's change were suspended due to the track being in the historic

Monza Park Monza Park (Parco di Monza) is a large walled park in Monza, Lombardy, northern Italy. Extending over an area of , it is the largest walled park in Europe, and the fourth largest enclosed one after la Mandria of Venaria Reale (Italy), Richmond P ...

A lap of the circuit in a Formula One car

Autodromo Nazionale Monza, April 22, 2018 SkySat (cropped)

Monza, throughout its long and storied history has been known for its high-speed, simplistic (compared to "harder" circuits such as Singapore or Monaco, which are tight, unforgiving street circuits with lots of corners) nature thanks to its 1920s design and the few alterations it has received, and is currently the fastest track on the Formula One calendar and has been so since 1991. Monza consists of very long straights and tight chicanes, putting a premium on good braking stability and traction. The circuit is very hard on engines; Formula 1 engines are at full throttle for nearly 80% of the lap, with engine failures common, notably

Fernando Alonso Fernando Alonso Díaz (; born 29 July 1981) is a Spanish racing driver currently competing for Alpine in Formula One. He won the series' World Drivers' Championship in and with Renault, and has also driven for McLaren, Ferrari, and M ...

in the 2006 Italian Grand Prix or

Nico Rosberg Nico Erik Rosberg (born 27 June 1985) is a German-Finnish former professional racing driver. He competed in Formula One from 2006 to 2016, winning the World Drivers' Championship in with Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport. The only child of Fin ...

in the 2015 Italian Grand Prix. Drivers are on full throttle for most of the lap due to its long straights and fast corners, and is usually the scenario in which the open-wheeled Formula One cars show the raw

speed In everyday use and in kinematics, the speed (commonly referred to as ''v'') of an object is the magnitude of the change of its position over time or the magnitude of the change of its position per unit of time; it is thus a scalar quantity ...

of which they are capable: during the mid-2000s

V10 engine A V10 engine is a ten- cylinder piston engine where two banks of five cylinders are arranged in a V configuration around a common crankshaft. V10 engines are much less common than V8 and V12 engines. Several V10 diesel engines have been pr ...

formula, although in

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gath ...

with the 2.4L

V8 engine A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. The first V8 engine was produced by the French Antoinette company in 1904, developed and us ...

s, top speeds in Formula One rarely reached over ; the 1.6L turbocharged

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...

V6 engine A V6 engine is a six-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. The first V6 engines were designed and produced independently by Marmon Motor Car Company, Deutz Gasmotoren Fabri ...

, reduced-

downforce Downforce is a downwards lift force created by the aerodynamic features of a vehicle. If the vehicle is a car, the purpose of downforce is to allow the car to travel faster by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more gri ...

formula of 2014 displayed top speeds of up to . The circuit is generally flat, but has a gradual gradient from the second Lesmos to the Variante Ascari. Due to the low

aerodynamic Aerodynamics, from grc, ἀήρ ''aero'' (air) + grc, δυναμική (dynamics), is the study of the motion of air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dyn ...

profile needed, with its resulting low

, the grip is very low;

understeer Understeer and oversteer are vehicle dynamics terms used to describe the sensitivity of a vehicle to steering. Oversteer is what occurs when a car turns (steers) by more than the amount commanded by the driver. Conversely, understeer is what occu ...

is a more serious issue than at other circuits; however, the opposite effect,

oversteer Understeer and oversteer are vehicle dynamics terms used to describe the sensitivity of a vehicle to steering. Oversteer is what occurs when a car turns (steers) by more than the amount commanded by the driver. Conversely, understeer is what occu ...

, is also present in the second sector, requiring the use of a very distinctive

opposite lock Opposite lock, also commonly known as counter-steering, is a colloquial term used to mean the steering associated with the deliberate use of oversteer to turn a vehicle rapidly without losing momentum. It is typified by the classic rallying s ...

technique. Since both maximum

power Power most often refers to: * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events ** Abusive power Power may ...

and minimal drag are keys for speed on the straights, only competitors with enough power or aerodynamic efficiency at their disposal are able to challenge for the top places. Formula One cars are set up with one of the smallest wing angles on the F1 calendar to ensure the lowest level of drag on the straights. There are only 6 corner complexes at Monza: the first two chicanes, the two ''Lesmos'', the ''Ascari'' complex and the ''Parabolica''. Thus cars are set up for maximum performance on the straights. Cars approach the first corner at in eighth gear, and brake at about before the first chicane—the ''Variante del Rettifilo''—entering at in second gear, and exiting at in second gear. This is the scene of many first-lap accidents. Higher kerbs were installed at the first two chicanes in 2009 to prevent cutting. Good traction out of the first corner is imperative for a quick lap. Conservation of speed through the first chicane is made possible by driving the straightest line, as a small mistake here can result in a lot of time being lost through the ''Curva Grande'' down to the ''Variante della Roggia'' chicane in eighth gear, at . The braking point is just under the bridge. The kerbs are brutal and it is very easy for a car to become unbalanced and a driver to lose control, as

Kimi Räikkönen Kimi-Matias Räikkönen (; born 17 October 1979), nicknamed "The Iceman", is a Finnish racing driver who competed in Formula One between 2001 and 2021 for Sauber, McLaren, Ferrari, Lotus, and Alfa Romeo. Räikkönen won the 2007 Formula One Wo ...

did in 2005. This chicane is probably the best overtaking chance on the lap, as it is the only one with the "slow corner, long straight, slow corner"; one of the characteristics of modern circuits. Monza aerial photo

The ''Curve di Lesmo'' are two corners that are not as fast as they used to be, but are still challenging corners. The first is blind, entered at in sixth gear, apexing at , and has a slight banking. The second is a seventh gear entry at , apexing in fifth gear at , and it is very important that all the kerb is used. A mistake at one of these corners will result in a spin into the gravel, while good exits can set a driver up for an overtaking move into ''Variante Ascari''. The downhill straight down to ''Variante Ascari'' is very bumpy under the bridge. ''Variante Ascari'' is a very tricky sequence of corners and is key to the lap time. The final challenge is the ''Curva Parabolica'': approaching at in eighth gear, cars quickly dance around the corner, apexing in sixth gear at and exiting in sixth gear at , accelerating onto the main start/finish straight. A good exit and slipstream off a fellow driver along the main straight can produce an overtaking opportunity under heavy braking into ''Variante del Rettifilo''; however, it is difficult to follow a leading car closely through the ''Parabolica'' as the tow will reduce downforce and cornering speed. Maximum speed achieved in a 2022 Formula One car is , established at the end of the start/finish straight. They experience a maximum

g-force The gravitational force equivalent, or, more commonly, g-force, is a measurement of the type of force per unit mass – typically acceleration – that causes a perception of weight, with a g-force of 1 g (not gram in mass measure ...

of 4.50 during deceleration, and the track has many dramatic high to low speed transitions.

Lap records

Lewis Hamilton Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born 7 January 1985) is a British racing driver currently competing in Formula One for Mercedes. In Formula One, Hamilton has won a joint-record seven World Drivers' Championship titles (tied with Mich ...

recorded the fastest pole position lap at Monza in

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in ...

, when he lapped in 1:18.887 at an average speed of – the fastest average lap speed recorded in qualifying for a World Championship event. The official race lap record for the current circuit layout is 1:21.046, set by Rubens Barrichello during the

2004 Italian Grand Prix The 2004 Italian Grand Prix (officially the Formula 1 Gran Premio Vodafone d'Italia 2004) was a Formula One motor race held on 12 September 2004 at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza. It was Race 15 of 18 in the 2004 FIA Formula One World Champion ...

. The official race lap records of Autodromo Nazionale di Monza are listed as:

Deaths from crashes

*1922 Fritz Kuhn (Austro-Daimler), killed during practice for the 1922 Italian Grand Prix *1923

Enrico Giaccone Enrico is both an Italian masculine given name and a surname, Enrico means homeowner, or king, derived from '' Heinrich'' of Germanic origin. It is also a given name in Ladino. Equivalents in other languages are Henry (English), Henri ( French), ...

, riding as passenger in a Fiat 805 during private testing, with

Pietro Bordino Pietro Bordino (22 November 1887 – 15 April 1928) was an Italian racecar driver. A native of Turin, he was one of Italy's top racing drivers of the 1920s. Bordino won the 1922 Italian Grand Prix and also raced in the 1925 Indianapolis 500 ...

driving *1923

Ugo Sivocci Ugo Sivocci (August 29, 1885 - September 8, 1923) was an Italian race car driver. Born in Salerno, Sivocci started his racing career as one of the pioneers of Italian bicycle racing, obtaining a second place in the 600 km long classic Cors ...

(Alfa Romeo P1), killed during practice for the

1923 Italian Grand Prix The 1923 Italian Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Monza on 9 September 1923. It was the first race to be designated as the European Grand Prix. Classification References {{Grand Prix race report , Name_of_race = ...

*1924 Count Louis Zborowski (Mercedes), killed after crashing into a tree at Lesmo during the 1924 Italian Grand Prix *1928

and 27 spectators killed after Materassi crashed his Talbot into the grandstand during the 1928 Italian Grand Prix *1931

Luigi Arcangeli Luigi Arcangeli (1902 - 23 May 1931) was an Italian motorcycle and car racer. Biography Arcangeli was born at Forlì in 1894. A factory rider for Sarolea, Sunbeam, Bianchi and Moto Guzzi, he turned to four wheels in the wake of his friend Tazi ...

(Alfa Romeo), killed after crashing at Lesmo during practice for the 1931 Italian Grand Prix *1933

(Alfa Romeo Tipo B 2.6 litre), Mario Umberto Borzacchini (Maserati 8C-3000) and Stanislas Czaykowski (Bugatti), killed after crashing at the south banking during the 1933 Monza Grand Prix *1954

Rupert Hollaus Rupert Hollaus (4 September 1931 – 11 September 1954) was an Austrian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who competed for the NSU factory racing team. He is the only Austrian to win a road racing World Championship, and the first racer to do ...

, killed during practice during the

*1955

Alberto Ascari Alberto Ascari (; 13 July 1918 – 26 May 1955) was an Italian racing driver and a two time Formula One World Champion. He was a multitalented racer who competed in motorcycle racing before switching to cars. Ascari won consecutive world titles ...

, killed during private testing at the Vialone, which is now the Ascari chicane, driving a Ferrari 750 Monza, just four days after his harbour crash in the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix *1961

and 14 spectators killed after von Trips collided with

approaching the Parabolica on the second lap of the 1961 Italian Grand Prix *1965 Bruno Deserti, killed during Ferrari official test prior to Le Mans in a Ferrari P2/3 4000 cc *1965 Tommy Spychiger, killed during 1000K Sports car race in Ferrari 365P2 *1970 Jochen Rindt, killed after crashing at the Parabolica during practice for the 1970 Italian Grand Prix *1973 Renzo Pasolini,

killed in a mass crash at the Curva Grande during the 250 cc class of the Italian motorcycle Grand Prix, Nations Grand Prix (Prior to 1990, the Italian round was called the Nations Grand Prix) *1973 Carlo Chionio, Renzo Colombini and Renato Galtrucco during a race for 500 cc Juniores Italian motorcycle championship *1974 Silvio Moser, died in hospital one month after suffering injuries at the 1000 km Monza race *1978 Ronnie Peterson, died in hospital after crashing during the start of the 1978 Italian Grand Prix *1998 Michael Paquay, Belgian motorbike racer, died after a crash in practice for the Italian round of World Supersport Championships, Honda CBR 600 *2000 Paolo Gislimberti, a marshal hit by debris from a first-lap accident at the Roggia chicane during the 2000 Italian Grand Prix, Italian Grand Prix

Previous track configurations

File:Circuit Monza 1922.svg, Original circuit (1922–1933) File:Monza 1935.svg, Florio circuit (1935–1938) File:Monza 1950.png, 2nd variation (1948–1954) File:Monza 1955.jpg, 3rd variation (Combined circuit) (1955–1956, 1960–1961) File:Circuit Monza 1955 Oval.svg, 3rd variation (Oval circuit) (1955–1971) File:Monza 1957.jpg, 4th variation (Road circuit) (1957–1959, 1962–1971) File:Monza 1972.jpg, 5th variation (1972–1973) File:Monza 1974.jpg, 6th variation (1974–1975) File:Monza 1976.jpg, 7th variation (1976–1993) File:Monza 1995.jpg, 8th variation (1994–1999) File:Monza track map.svg, 9th variation (2000–present)

Events

; Current * April:

, TCR Italian Series, Formula Regional European Championship * May: Campionato Italiano Auto Storiche * July: FIA World Endurance Championship ''6 Hours of Monza'', European Le Mans Series ''4 Hours of Monza'', Le Mans Cup * September: Formula One ''

'', FIA Formula 2 Championship, FIA Formula 3 Championship, Porsche Supercup,

, TCR Europe Series * October:

, Porsche Carrera Cup, Porsche Carrera Cup Italy ; Future * 24H Series ''12 Hours of Monza'' (2020, 2023) * BOSS GP (2011–2016, 2018–2019, 2021, 2023) * GT World Challenge Europe ''3 Hours of Monza'' (2013–2019, 2021, 2023) * GT2 European Series (2021, 2023) ; Former *

(1999–2005, 2007, 2009–2014, 2016) * BMW M1 Procar Championship (1979) * BPR Global GT Series (1995–1996) * Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (2021) * European Formula 5000 Championship (1970–1971, 1974) * European Formula Two Championship (1973) * European Touring Car Championship (1964–1986, 1988, 2000–2001, 2003–2004) * European Touring Car Cup (2012–2013, 2017) * FIA European Formula 3 Championship (1975–1984), FIA European Formula 3 Championship (1975–1980, 1982–1984) * FIA Formula 3 European Championship (2013, 2015, 2017) * FIA GT Championship (1999–2001, 2003–2005, 2007–2008) * FIA Sportscar Championship (1999–2001, 2003) * FIM Endurance World Championship (1964–1965, 1985, 1987) * Formula Renault Eurocup (2004–2005, 2016–2020) * French F4 Championship (2021) * GP2 Series ''Monza GP2 round'' (2005–2016) * GP3 Series (2010–2018) *

'' (1949–1968, 1970–1971, 1981, 1983, 1986–1987) * International Formula 3000 (1988, 1990, 2001–2004) *

(1957–1958) * Sidecar World Championship (1949–1957, 1965, 1967, 1999–2003) *

(1990, 1992–1993, 1995–2013) * Superleague Formula (2009) * World Series by Renault (2005, 2007–2008, 2011, 2013–2014, 2016–2017) *

(1963–1975, 1980–1988, 1990–1992) * World Touring Car Championship ''FIA WTCR Race of Italy, FIA WTCC Race of Italy'' (2005–2008, 2010–2013, 2017) ; Special * Breaking2, Nike Breaking2

In popular culture

* Italian rock ban
The Rock Alchemist
whose son
"The Temple"
from their 2017 album:

', was written as an anthem for the Monza Motor Racing Circuit. * The Luigi Circuit in ''Mario Kart Wii'' is loosely based on the track minus the chicanes.

Notes

References

External links

Autodromo Nazionale Monza
official website
Autodromo Nazionale Monza on Google Maps (Current Formula 1 Tracks)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monza Pre-World Championship Grand Prix circuits Formula One circuits Italian Grand Prix Superbike World Championship circuits Grand Prix motorcycle circuits Motorsport venues in Italy Buildings and structures in Monza, Autodromo Nazionale Monza Sports venues in Lombardy Sports venues completed in 1922 1922 establishments in Italy World Touring Car Championship circuits Sport in Monza