Monza

The Monza racing circuit, officially known as the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, is a historic racetrack located in Monza, near Milan, Italy. Built in 1922, it is the third oldest purpose-built race track in the world and the first of its kind in mainland Europe.

Circuit Overview

The Monza circuit has a track length of 5.793 km (3.600 mi) and features 11 turns. The direction of travel is clockwise. Known as "The Temple of Speed," Monza is characterized by long straights and high-speed corners, requiring low-downforce setups. The track width varies from 10m to 12m.

Technical Specifications

The lap record at Monza is 1:21.046, set by Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari) in 2004. Kimi Räikkönen achieved the highest recorded speed of 370.1 km/h in 2005, while Juan Pablo Montoya reached an unofficial top speed of 373.3 km/h. Approximately 80% of the lap is spent at full throttle.

Racing History

The first Italian Grand Prix was held at Monza in 1922. Since 1950, the Italian Grand Prix has been held at Monza every year, except for 1980 when it was held at Imola. Monza has also hosted major events like the Monza 1000 km, part of the World Sports Car Championship.

Notable Features

Monza is renowned for its high speeds, with cars often reaching over 360 km/h. The circuit features several tight chicanes that test drivers' precision and braking ability. The run-off areas are minimal, with gravel traps and barriers close to the track.

Interesting Facts

The track was built in just 110 days in 1922. The original circuit combined a road course with a high-speed banked oval, although the oval is no longer in use. Monza witnessed the closest finish in Formula 1 history in 1971, when Peter Gethin won by 0.01 seconds. Ferrari has won the Italian Grand Prix a record 19 times. The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is contracted to host Formula 1 until the end of 2025.