Why we love the Italian Grand Prix
If you were to provide a blueprint for what a Formula 1 circuit should be, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza wouldn’t be far off. It is extremely fast, pushes a car’s power and performance to the limit, is beautifully old school, and draws in some of F1’s most passionate fans.
It is the oldest track on the F1 calendar and runs through one of the largest walled parks in Europe, the Parco di Monza, just north of Milan. Spanning 688 hectares, it uniquely connects nature, culture, and sports, with the greenery and woodlands providing quite a contrast to the roar of engines and a fanatical F1 crowd.
Built in 1922, the circuit was only the third purpose-built race track in the world and has hosted the official Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix every year bar one since the inaugural season in 1950.
Whether watching from the circuit or on TV, the circuit certainly holds up in the modern day. The grandstand at the Variante del Rettifilo must be considered among the best on the calendar to watch a race from, with cars slowing from 350km/h to 70km/h to tackle one of the track’s primary overtaking spots.