Autodromo Nazionale Monza

Track Info

Location	Monza, Lombardy, Italy
Type	Permanent Road Course
Length	5.793 km (3.600 miles)
Turns	11
Capacity	~120,000
Opened	1922

Track Characteristics

Monza is known as the "Temple of Speed" and lives up to its name. The circuit is the fastest on the F1 calendar, with cars reaching top speeds of over 350 km/h on the long straights. Set in the Royal Park of Monza just north of Milan, the track has hosted the Italian Grand Prix almost every year since the World Championship began in 1950. The old banked oval, now overgrown and crumbling, can still be seen alongside the current circuit - a haunting reminder of the venue's rich and sometimes tragic history.

The layout is defined by its long straights connected by chicanes. The first chicane (Variante del Rettifilo) is one of the most dramatic braking zones in F1, with cars decelerating from over 340 km/h. The Curva Grande is a fast, sweeping right-hander that leads to the Variante della Roggia chicane. Lesmo 1 and 2 are medium-speed right-handers that wind through the trees. The Ascari chicane demands precision before the cars blast down the long back straight toward the famous Parabolica (now named Curva Alboreto), a long, fast, challenging right-hander that leads onto the main straight.

Low downforce is the key to Monza. Teams run their skinniest rear wings to maximize straight-line speed, which makes the car nervous and twitchy through the few corners. Slipstreaming is hugely important, and Monza has produced some of the closest finishes and most dramatic slipstream battles in F1 history.

Getting There

Nearest Airport	Milan Linate Airport (LIN), about 20 km south. Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) is approximately 55 km west. Bergamo Orio al Serio (BGY) is about 45 km northeast.
Nearest City	Monza (adjacent to the park). Milan is about 15 km to the southwest.

2026 Event Info

Race Name	Italian Grand Prix
Round	13 of 22
Sprint Weekend	No
TV	Apple TV

Track Record

Lap Record	1:21.046
Record Holder	Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari, 2004)

Notable Past Races

• 2024: Charles Leclerc won for Ferrari in front of the tifosi with a brilliant one-stop strategy that defied expectations. The crowd invasion of the track after the race was one of the most emotional scenes of the season.
• 2020: Pierre Gasly won a stunning race for AlphaTauri after a red flag and Lewis Hamilton's penalty reshuffled the order. Gasly held off Carlos Sainz for his maiden and only F1 victory in one of the biggest upsets in modern F1.
• 2019: Charles Leclerc won his second consecutive race (after Spa) in a dramatic finish, holding off Valtteri Bottas by just 0.8 seconds after a fierce final-lap battle.
• 2008: Sebastian Vettel won in the rain at just 21 years old, driving for Toro Rosso. It remains the team's only victory and was the youngest race win in F1 history at the time.
• 1971: Peter Gethin won the closest finish in F1 history at the time, crossing the line just 0.01 seconds ahead of Ronnie Peterson in a five-car sprint to the flag. All five cars finished within 0.61 seconds.

Track Facts

• Monza is the fastest circuit on the F1 calendar, with average lap speeds exceeding 260 km/h.
• The circuit sits within the Royal Park of Monza, one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe at 688 hectares.
• The old oval banking, built in 1922 and last used in 1961, still stands beside the modern circuit as a monument to racing's early days.
• The Italian Grand Prix is the only race to have been held every year since the F1 World Championship began in 1950.
• The post-race invasion of the track by the tifosi (Ferrari fans) is one of F1's most iconic traditions.

More Formula 1