Gran Premio Santander d'Italia (Sept, 14 2008)

Creation date: 1950
Circuit : Autodromo Nazionale Monza
First F1 GP: 03 September 1950
Grand Prix held: 57
Spectactor capacity: around 115000

Organiser:
Monza
Press officer
Paolo Montagna
Tel: (+39) 02 7745239
Fax:(+39) 02 781844

Informations:
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
Via Vedano 5
Parco di Monza
20052 Monza (MI)
Italy
Tel : (+39) 039 24821
Fax : (+39) 039 320324

Official Website : http://www.monzanet.it

Corners

1. Cur. grande
2. Var. Roggia
3. Lesmo 1
4. Lesmo 2
5. Serraglio
6. Var. Ascari
7. Parbolica

Track length: 5.793 km
Number of laps: 53 (306.720 Km)
Number of corners: 10 (left:4) (right:6)
Top speed: 368 Km/h
Start line offset: 309 m
Downforce setup:low
2007 race weather: dry

Best lap:
R. Barrichello - 1'21''046 (2004, Ferrari)

Record Pole:
R. Barrichello - 1'20''089 (2004, Ferrari)

Pole 2007:
F. Alonso - 1'21''997 (McLaren)

Podium 2007:

1. F. Alonso
2. L. Hamilton
3. K. Raikkonen

Circuit Info:

There has only been one year since 1950 when the Italian Grand Prix was not run in Monza and that was 1980 when it took place at Imola. Little has changed with this track over the years. It remains one of the fastest tracks, even with the introduction of chicanes in the 1970's, and is therefore very hard on the cars.

Giuseppe Farina won the first World Championship race there in 1950 in his Ferrari, and in 1960, Monza saw the first American win a Grand Prix, namely Phil Hill. In 1961, Hill actually clinched the title at Monza, but only after his team-mate, Wolfgang von Trips and 12 spectators were tragically killed. Jackie Stewart had his first ever Grand Prix victory at Monza in 1965, and in 1966, Ludovico Scarfiotti led home a Ferrari one-two.

Once again, tragedy struck Monza in 1970, when Jochen Rindt lost his life during qualifying. The following year saw one of the most spectacular finishes, with Peter Gethin bursting from a pack of five cars to take the win. Ronnie Peterson won in 1973, 1974, and 1976, but sadly, it was also the place of his death in 1978, after a pile up at the start.

Damon Hill won in 1993 and 1994, with Johnny Herbert taking the win in the following year. In 1996, Michael Schumacher sent the Tifosi wild after he claimed the first Ferrari victory on home soil since Gerhard Berger beat Michele Alboreto across the line in 1988. David Coulthard took the win for McLaren in 1997, followed up by Schumacher again in 1998 after securing his first pole of the season.

Jordan driver, Heinz-Harald Frentzen took the victory in 1999 but tragedy marred the 2000 race when a multi-car pile up on the first lap saw car parts flying everywhere and a loose wheel striking a marshal. Michael Schumacher went on to win the event and many fans will remember the emotion he displayed during the post race interview. A mixture of grief over the marshals death and realizing he had achieved the same amount of victories as his idol, Ayrton Senna, saw a very rare display of tears.

The 2001 event took place just after the tragic 911 terrorist attacks in America, followed by the news that former F1 driver Alex Zanardi was involved in a horrific accident that resulted in the loss of both legs in a Champ Car race at Euro Speedway. It was a sad event for all concerned. Juan Pablo Montoya however took his maiden victory in the BMW Williams.

2002 and Ferrari brought home a one-two in front of their home fans with Rubens Barrichello on the top step of the podium and Michael Schumacher in second. In 2003, Schumacher returned to winning ways for the first time in six races when he claimed his 50th Ferrari victory. The German kept cool under the pressure to extend his lead to three points over second-placed Juan Pablo Montoya, while Rubens Barrichello stayed in front of Kimi Raikkonen to claim the final podium position.

The Italian Grand Prix of 2004 seemed to be all over for Ferrari on the first lap as Michael Schumacher spun at the second turn and dropped right down the order while Rubens Barrichello led the race but was on the wrong tyres for the weather conditions. 75-minutes later and Ferrari had pulled off the race result of the season with Barrichello recovering brilliantly to take the win five seconds ahead of Schumacher after another stunning drive. BAR Honda finished third and fourth with Jenson Button and Takuma Sato, but the day was all about Ferrari on home soil.


A year later and Ferrari were really struggling. Schumacher would finish in just tenth position while Barrichello found himself a lapped 12th. Montoya took the win from Pole Position in his McLaren ahead of the Renault duo Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella. Kimi Raikkonen fought back from 11th position on the grid to take the fourth position.

Michael Schumacher announced his retirement from the sport following his Italian victory in 2006. It was a tough weekend for Fernando Alonso who was rather unfairly penalised in qualifying after he was accused of blocking Felipe Massa. It was a strange race weekend for the Renault team as Alonso retired from the event with a very rare engine failure on lap 44 of the 53-lap event. Amongst 'fixing' allegations from Alonso and his then Renault team, Kimi Raikkonen came home second while rookie driver Robert Kubica secured a brilliant first podium in his BMW Sauber in what was just his third start.

While the 2007 season was a contentious one for Alonso, he had no complaints as he secured the pole position and the race win ahead of McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton. It was a disappointing day for the Ferrari team with Felipe Massa retiring early on with a mechanical problem while Kimi Raikkonen had no answer to the pace of the recovering Hamilton in the late stages.

PAST CHAMPION OF THE TRACK

2007 F. Alonso (McLaren)
2006 M. Schumacher (Ferrari)
2005 J-P. Montoya (McLaren)
2004 R. Barrichello (Ferrari)
2003 M. Schumacher (Ferrari)
2002 R. Barrichello (Ferrari)
2001 J-P. Montoya (Williams)
2000 M. Schumacher (Ferrari)
1999 H-H. Frentzen (Jordan)
1998 M. Schumacher (Ferrari)
1997 D. Coulthard (McLaren)
1996 M. Schumacher (Ferrari)
1995 J. Herbert (Benetton)
1994 D. Hill (Williams)
1993 D. Hill (Williams)
1992 A. Senna (McLaren)
1991 N. Mansell (Williams)
1990 A. Senna (McLaren)
1989 A. Prost (McLaren)
1988 G. Berger (Ferrari)