Italian Grand Prix

Monza Track guide

Built in 1922, the circuit was 10 km (6.25 miles) in length and, at the time, was one of only three autodromes in the world. The huge banking and long straights gave birth to its iconic nickname: ‘The Temple of Speed’.

Located in Monza, Italy, just north of Milan, the event is one of the biggest on the F1 calendar and has hosted a round of the world championship every year bar 1980 (Imola hosted the Italian Grand Prix of that year) since its creation.

Although undergoing many changes since its early days, the circuit still has the feel of an old-school past, a throwback to racing history.

Iconic corners such as the Curva Grande, Curva di Lesmo, Variante Ascari and Curva Parabolica make up a legendary venue for motoracing.

The last changes made to the circuit were back in 2000 but the layout has stayed the same since.

Monza also boasts one of the more unique podiums in F1. The silver platform for the top three drivers extends out over the start/finish line on the main straight which plays host to one of the most podium ceremonies in F1.

Race history

In 2018, the Italian Grand Prix would play host to a season-defining race weekend in which Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton took an almost impossible race victory in the heart of enemy territory.

Having won in Spa, Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel appeared to be back on track for the 2018 championship and Monza was the perfect venue to hammer home their advantage over the summer break.

Unfortunately for Vettel, poor Ferrari strategy in qualifying meant that despite securing an all-Ferrari front-row lockout, it was Kimi Raikkonen on pole position and not the German.

On the opening lap, the two Ferrari’s battled for the lead that had allowed Hamilton to launch an attack on second-placed Vettel. The Ferrari but backed out of a move on his teammate which allowed Hamilton to dive down the outside into the second chicane.

Brief contact between the two title protagonists sent Vettel spinning down to last and Hamilton through into second and onto a huge race win, battling past Raikkonen later in the race to secure the win on Ferrari home soil.

Rubens Barichello’s lap in 2004 with Ferrari still sits as the official lap record, his 1:21.046s unbeaten in races since.

Kimi Raikkonen’s 2018 pole lap broke the record for fastest lap in F1 history, with an average speed of 163.785mph, beating the previous 162.95 mph record set by Juan Pablo Montoya in 2004.

When is the 2019 Italian Grand Prix?

The race weekend in Monza kicks off Friday September 6th, with Free Practice 1 starting at 11am local time (10am BST, 5am EST). FP2 starts that afternoon at 3pm (2pm BST, 9am EST). On Saturday, FP3 starts at 12pm local time (11am BST, 6am EST), and qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix takes place at 3pm on Saturday (2pm BST, 8am EST).

The Italian Grand Prix will start at 3.10pm local time on Sunday September 8th (2.10pm BST, 9.10am EST).