Monza Circuit

For other uses, see Monza (disambiguation).

Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
The Temple of Speed

LocationMonza, Italy[1]
Time zoneCET (UTC+1)
CEST (DST)
Coordinates45°37′14″N 9°17′22″E / 45.62056°N 9.28944°E / 45.62056; 9.28944
Capacity118,865[2]
FIA Grade1
OwnerComune di Monza & Milano[1]
OperatorSIAS S.p.A.[1]
Broke ground15 May 1922; 102 years ago (1922-05-15)
Opened3 September 1922; 102 years ago (1922-09-03)
ArchitectAlfredo Rosselli
Former namesCircuito di Milano (1922-1927)
Autodromo di Monza (1928-1964, 1975-1982)
Autodromo Nazionale di Monza (1965-1974, 1983-Present)
Major eventsCurrent:
Formula One
Italian Grand Prix (1950–1979, 1981–present)
GT World Challenge Europe (2013–2019, 2021, 2023–present)
International GT Open
(2006–present)
Former:
FIA WEC and predecessors
6 Hours of Monza (1949–1988, 1990–1992, 1995–2001, 2003–2005, 2007–2008, 2021–2023)
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Italian motorcycle Grand Prix (1949–1968, 1970–1971, 1973, 1981, 1983, 1986–1987)
World SBK (1990, 1992–1993, 1995–2013)
FIM EWC (1964–1965, 1985, 1987)
WTCC Race of Italy
(2005–2008, 2010–2013, 2017)
Race of Two Worlds (1957–1958)
Websitehttps://www.monzanet.it
Modern Grand Prix Circuit (2000–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length5.793[3][4] km (3.600 miles)
Turns11
Race lap record1:21.046
(257.35 km/h (159.91 mph)) (Brazil Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari F2004, 2004, F1)
Oval (1955–1971)
SurfaceConcrete/Asphalt
Turns2
Banking≈30°
Race lap record0:54.0
(283.34 km/h (176.06 mph)) (United States Bob Veith, Bowes Seal Fast Special, 1958, IndyCar)
Junior Course (1959–present)
SurfaceAsphalt
Race lap record0:54.300 (Italy Giorgio Schön, Porsche 934/76, 1976, Group 5)
Combined Course (1955–1971)
SurfaceAsphalt/Concrete
Turns9
Race lap record2.43.600
(223.02 km/h (138.58 mph)) (United States Phil Hill, Ferrari 246 F1, 1960, F1)

The Monza Circuit (Italian: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza; lit. 'Monza National Racetrack') is a 5.793 km (3.600 mi) race track near the city of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. Built in 1922, it was the world's third purpose-built motor racing circuit after Brooklands and Indianapolis and the oldest in mainland Europe.[dubious – discuss][5] The circuit's biggest event is the Italian Grand Prix. With the exception of the 1980 running when the track was closed while undergoing refurbishment, the race has been hosted there since 1949.[6] The circuit is also known as "The Temple of Speed" due to its long straights and high-speed corners.

Built in the Royal Villa of Monza park in a woodland setting,[7] the site has three tracks – the 5.793 km (3.600 mi) Grand Prix track,[3] the 2.405 km (1.494 mi) Junior track,[4] and a 4.250 km (2.641 mi) high speed oval track with steep bankings, which was left unused for decades and had been decaying until it was restored in the 2010s.[8][6] 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[9]). 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 1,000 km Monza, an endurance sports car race held as part of the World Sportscar Championship and the Le Mans Series. Monza also featured the unique Race of Two Worlds 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 (Italian motorcycle Grand Prix), WTCC, TCR International Series, Superbike World Championship, Formula Renault 3.5 Series and Auto GP. Monza currently hosts rounds of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, International GT Open and Euroformula Open Championship, as well as various local championships such as the TCR Italian Series, Italian GT Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup Italia and Italian F4 Championship, as well as the Monza Rally Show. In 2020, Monza hosted the 2020 World Rally Championship 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[10] and Monza 21 Half Marathon.[10] The venue was also selected by Nike scientists for the Breaking2 event, where three runners attempted to break the 2-hour barrier for the marathon. Eliud Kipchoge ran 2:00:25.[11]

A very fast circuit, Monza has been the site of many fatal accidents, especially in the early years of the Formula One world championship,[12] and has claimed the lives of 52 drivers and 35 spectators. Track modifications have continuously occurred, to improve spectator safety and reduce curve speeds,[6] but it is still criticised by the current drivers for its lack of run-off areas, most notoriously at the chicane that cuts the Variante della Roggia.[12][obsolete source]

  1. ^ a b c "Autodromo Nazionale Monza – Company profile". Autodromo Nazionale Monza. MonzaNet.it. 2007. Archived from the original on 25 July 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  2. ^ "Formula 1 Heineken Gran Premio d'Italia 2021 – Media Kit" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Formula 1 Gran Premio Santander D'Italia 2009 (Monza) – interactive circuit map". Formula One Administration Ltd. Formula1.com. 1999–2009. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  4. ^ a b "Autodromo Nazionale Monza – Areas & Structures". Autodromo Nazionale Monza. MonzaNet.it. 2007. Archived from the original on 18 June 2008. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  5. ^ "History". Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016.
  6. ^ a b c "The hidden history of the Monza banking". Formula One Administration Ltd. Formula1.com. 30 August 2005. Archived from the original on 2 October 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  7. ^ "1922–1928: Construction and first races on the original tracks". Autodromo Nazionale Monza. MonzaNet.it. 2007. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  8. ^ "Monza Oval - History of the abandoned banking". Circuits of the past. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  9. ^ "La curva parabolica di Monza intitolata a Michele Alboreto | Monzanet". Autodromo Nazionale Monza (in Italian). 20 September 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  10. ^ a b "FollowYourPassion". FollowYourPassion.
  11. ^ Jon Mulkeen (6 May 2017). "Kipchoge a 'happy man' in Monza". IAAF. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  12. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Clarin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).