The Autodromo
Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of
Milan, in
Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian
Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception. Built in the
Royal Villa of Monza
Park in a woodland setting, the site has three tracks – the 5.793 kilometres (3.600 mi) Grand Prix track, the 2.405 kilometres (1.494 mi) Junior track, and 4.250 kilometres (2.641 mi) high speed oval track with steep bankings which has been unused for many decades and is now decaying. The major features of the main grand prix track include the Curva Grande, the Curva di Lesmo, the Variante Ascari and the Curva Parabolica. The high speed curve, Curva Grande, is located after the Variante del Rettifilo chicane which is located at the end of the front straight or Rettifilo Tribune, and is usually taken flat out by Formula One Grand Prix cars.
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 F1 cars show the raw speed they are capable of (372 kilometres per hour (231 mph) during the late 1990s V10 engine formula, although in 2012 with the 2.4L V8 engines, top speeds in F1 rarely reach over 320 kilometres per hour (199 mph)). The circuit is generally flat, but has a gradual gradient from the second Lesmos to the Variante Ascari. Due to the low aerodynamic profile needed, with its resulting low downforce, the grip is very low; understeer is a more serious issue than at other circuits, however, the opposite effect, oversteer, is also present in the second sector, requiring the use of a very distinctive opposite lock technique. Since both maximum power, and minimal drag is the key for speed on the straights, only competitors with enough power at their disposal are able to challenge for the top places.
- Major events: FIA Formula One
- Italian Grand Prix
- Italian motorcycle Grand Prix, 1000 km Monza, WTCC, SBK, Race of Two Worlds
Modern Grand Prix Circuit
- Surface: Asphalt
- Length: 5.793 km (3.600 mi)
- Turns: 11
- Lap record: 1:21.046 (Brazil Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari, 2004, F1)
Oval
- Surface:Concrete/Asphalt
- Length: 4.250 km (2.641 mi)
- Turns: 2
- Banking:≈30°
- Lap record: 0:54.0 (United States Bob Veith, Bowes Seal Fast, 1958, IndyCar)
Junior Course
- Surface: Asphalt
- Length: 2.405 km (1.494 mi)
Combined Course
- Surface: Asphalt
- Length: 10.00 km (6.213 mi)
- Turns: 9
- Lap record: 2.41.4 (United States Phil Hill, Ferrari, 1960, F1)
