Racing at a refreshed Monza

Scuderia Ferrari HP’s home race par excellence, the Italian Grand Prix, takes place this weekend. As it always has done, with the exception of the 1980 race, it takes place at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, a circuit that can boast more history and tradition than most others. Although the track was built 102 years ago, several changes will be evident at this year’s race. The track has been completely resurfaced for the first time since 1922. Some of the kerbs have been modified and these factors mean we can see cars pushed even closer to their limits.

Our tifosi await. As always, the grandstands will be a sea of red, packed with Scuderia Ferrari HP supporters, who will be in their seats right from the start of free practice on Friday. The team has won 19 times here, with over 70 podium finishes and needless to say the hordes of fans would love to stand under the podium to cheer a Maranello driver, possibly one standing on the top step.

The track. From a technical point of view, Monza is a very high-speed circuit, a unique fixture in the world of motorsport. With DRS, the current Formula 1 cars can hit speeds in excess of 350 km/h, lapping at an average speed well over 260 km/h. Overtaking is easy on the main straight, as well going into the first chicane and at the Roggia chicane, immediately after the Curva Grande, also known as Curva Biassono. The mix of fast straights and heavy braking make for a unique challenge for the drivers, who have to find the perfect set-up on their cars, looking for the right compromise between getting traction coming out of the corners and the vital top speed to attack and defend down the flat-out sections.

Strategy. The weather over the Monza weekend is not meant to throw up any surprises, so the race is likely to be a one stop and therefore fairly linear. In qualifying on the other hand, it will be vital to do the best possible job of dealing with traffic, especially in the second part of Q3.

Format. The 75th Italian Grand Prix runs to the classic weekend format, with three free practice sessions, two on Friday at 13.30 and 17.00 CEST and the third on Saturday at 12.30, followed by qualifying at 16.00 with the 53 lap, 306.72 km race getting underway on Sunday at 15.00.

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal Scuderia Ferrari HP

We come to Monza in good spirits, following our performance in the race at Zandvoort. It was a demonstration of how, in the current Formula 1, a perfect execution, putting everything together and making the most of one's available package, can really make a difference. Monza is unique in many respects: the track is truly one of a kind, the only ultra high-speed circuit left on the calendar and this year it will present an additional challenge in that it has been entirely resurfaced, with changes also made to the kerbs at some corners. But what makes it really special for us is that we know we can count on the support of the tens of thousands of tifosi who will be cheering us on all the way and who, quite rightly, expect great results from us. I will never forget my first Italian Grand Prix with Ferrari last year, the cries of delight when Carlos took pole on Saturday and then the celebrations under the podium on Sunday. The goal for me, the drivers and everyone in the Scuderia - the team at the track and the hundreds working back in Maranello - is to once again give the tifosi something to cheer about. With that in mind, our preparation has been scrupulous and we will be bringing some updates for the SF-24 that we hope will see us make another step forward in terms of performance. We know we can rely on the support of all our tifosi and we will put our heart and soul into it.

FERRARI STATS

GP contested 1089

Seasons in F1 75

Debut Monaco 1950 (A. Ascari 2nd; R. Sommer 4th; L. Villoresi ret.)

Wins 245 (22.50%)

Pole positions 251 (23.05%)

Fastest laps 262 (24.06%)

Podiums 819 (25.07%)

FERRARI STATS ITALIAN GRAND PRIX

GP contested 74

Debut 1950 (A. Ascari and D. Serafini 2nd; P. Whitehead 7th; C. Biondetti ret.)

Wins 19 (25.67%)

Pole positions 23 (31.08%)

Fastest laps 19 (25.67%)

Podiums 71 (31.98%)

THREE QUESTIONS TO... ANTONIO GIOVINAZZI

SCUDERIA FERRARI HP RESERVE DRIVER

1. Tell us about the characteristics of the Monza track.

Ferrari’s home race is always special and it will be even more interesting this year as the track has undergone several modifications. It has been completely resurfaced, the radiuses of some corners have been modified and the kerbs have been changed, so there’s a lot that’s new. What doesn’t change is the unique feeling in Monza, with its long straights, the heavy braking points, the thrill of the chicanes and the high speed corners…They reckon the Ascari corner will be even quicker than before, so I expect the Italian weekend to be a great challenge for everyone. And obviously, as far as we are concerned, we will be doing our utmost in front of all the tifosi, who are expecting something good from Ferrari.

2. From a technical viewpoint what is the hardest aspect of setting up the car for Monza?

It’s definitely essential to have a good handle on the aero downforce. Monza is a high speed circuit so you need a low downforce car for maximum efficiency down the long straights. Therefore, braking at Monza with a car that feels very light, is very different to what the drivers have just experienced at Zandvoort, which is a track where you run a lot of downforce. This means the main challenge in Monza will be to have a level of downforce that provides the best possible traction and the best exit out of the corners.

3. You have plenty of experience racing at Monza, the last time being at the wheel of a Ferrari in the WEC. What’s it like driving for Ferrari at Monza?

I’ve got a one word answer – pride – because as an Italian you really feel the support of the tifosi, right from Thursday when you arrive at the track, all the way through to Sunday night. All that affection pushes you to give the best of yourself and it’s as if the fans help you to find that final tenth. From the cockpit you see all that red in the grandstands and you feel you have to do well, for the team, for yourself, but above all, for all the people who have come to watch the race and make their love and passion for Ferrari felt.

Profile

Antonio Giovinazzi

Nationality: Italian

Born on 14/12/1993

In Martina Franca (Taranto), Italy

ITALIAN GRAND PRIX: FACTS & FIGURES

7. The number of times Carlos Sainz has celebrated his birthday at the race track. This year, he will turn 30 on the Sunday of the Italian Grand Prix. To date, his best birthday on a race weekend was without a doubt last year in Monza, when the Spaniard treated himself to pole position on Saturday and third place in the race on Sunday, following a memorable duel with team-mate Charles Leclerc.

69. The number of animals from the Milan zoo housed at the Monza circuit during the second world war, to get them out of harm’s way when the city was bombed. There was a tragedy during the move as one of the tigers escaped and fatally injured the keeper trying to catch the big cat.

107. Rounds of the Formula 1 World Championship held in Italy, more than in any other country. Joint second on this list are the United Kingdom and Germany on 79, then the United States with 77 (although this number will rise to 79 later in the year after the races in Austin and Las Vegas). To date, Monza has hosted 73 races, 31 have been held at Imola, while on one race apiece are Pescara in 1957 and Mugello in 2020, the latter coinciding with Ferrari’s 1000th Grand Prix appearance.

140. The number of days it took to renovate the Monza circuit at a cost of 36 million Euros. The pits and kerbs have been updated while the track itself has been resurfaced for the first time since the facility was opened in 1922, with 78,000 square metres of new asphalt, making it state-of-the-art.

732. The size of the Monza Park, which is home to the Autodromo Nazionale, in hectares. This green space is surrounded by an original wall of around 14 kilometres in length, which makes it the third largest walled park in Europe after Chambord in France (32 km) and La Mandria in the Italian province of Turin (30 km). The park is located north of the town between the municipalities of Monza, Villasanta, Vedano al Lambro and Biassono.