132 replies to this topic

[Pete_f1]

From Planet F1 'Monza’s famous Parabolica curve is to be renamed after the late Michele Alboreto, who raced for Ferrari in the mid-1980s. Alboreto raced in Formula 1 between 1981 and 1994, winning five grands prix and finishing second in the 1985 World Championship to Alain Prost.' https://www.planetf1...chele-alboreto/

[PayasYouRace]

Nice to see Michele being honoured. I only caught the end of his career but he featured a lot in books and race programmes my parents gave me.

Oh and I’m changing the thread title.

[Jazza]

Problem with having one of the most famous corners on the calendar named after you is… almost everyone will probably still call it the Parabolica anyway.

But nice to see 👍

[Risil]

Any chance they can name the first chicane after Jean-Louis Schlesser?

[PayasYouRace]

Any chance they can name the first chicane after Jean-Louis Schlesser?

The hero Italy didn’t deserve, but the hero that Italy needed.

I still think of it as the Variante Goodyear, and I don’t think it’s been called that for 20 years.

[KWSN - DSM]

Parabolica is an iconic name, why the heck fiddle with that?

[Risil]

The hero Italy didn’t deserve, but the hero that Italy needed.

I still think of it as the Variante Goodyear, and I don’t think it’s been called that for 20 years.

"Ferrari scored a 1-2 after Senna collided with a Williams at the chicane."
 
"Goodyear?"
 
"The best."

[PayasYouRace]

Parabolica is an iconic name, why the heck fiddle with that?

Which is a shame because it’s such a rubbish name. It’s literally just a description of the mathematical function that defines the shape. It’s a parabolic curve, the Parabolic Curve. But I guess anything can sound exotic and emotive in Italian.

Not as bad as “130R” though, and miles better than just numbering the corners.

[Ivanhoe]

Common things can have a very nice ring to it in Italian though.

[SpaceHorseParty]

Which is a shame because it’s such a rubbish name. It’s literally just a description of the mathematical function that defines the shape. It’s a parabolic curve, the Parabolic Curve. But I guess anything can sound exotic and emotive in Italian.

Not as bad as “130R” though, and miles better than just numbering the corners.

I hope portal technology will allow us to install a Hyperbolica corner within the next 100 years.

[KWSN - DSM]

Which is a shame because it’s such a rubbish name. It’s literally just a description of the mathematical function that defines the shape. It’s a parabolic curve, the Parabolic Curve. But I guess anything can sound exotic and emotive in Italian.

Not as bad as “130R” though, and miles better than just numbering the corners.

 

I feel the exact opposite, that those iconic corner names are even better for them originally being mundane in the context of racetrack corner names.

Edited by KWSN - DSM, 01 September 2021 - 10:01.

[GlenWatkins]

Parabolica is an iconic corner and synonymous with Monza, I don't understand why anyone would change the name. What's next, Pouhon? 

Edited by GlenWatkins, 01 September 2021 - 10:02.

[Scotracer]

Which is a shame because it’s such a rubbish name. It’s literally just a description of the mathematical function that defines the shape. It’s a parabolic curve, the Parabolic Curve. But I guess anything can sound exotic and emotive in Italian.

Not as bad as “130R” though, and miles better than just numbering the corners.

 

And it isn't even a parabola!

[as65p]

I always find myself liking great things with mundane names much better than the other way round.

 

Honouring Alboreto is great, using Parabolica for it is unfortunate.

[JimmyClark]

Indeed, I would have changed the name of of the first or second chicanes first rather than a corner with an iconic name already. 

[milestone 11]

Common things can have a very nice ring to it in Italian though.

Desmosedici, Quattroporte, Acqua Minerale.

[DeKnyff]

I have a great respect for Michelle Alboreto, but I wouldn't change the name of such an iconic corner.

[ANF]

Indeed, I would have changed the name of of the first or second chicanes first rather than a corner with an iconic name already.

Or Curva Grande/Curva Biassono.

[Alexis*27]

There are two corners with the same name. There is literally a spare corner that you can rename!

[BRG]

I have a great respect for Michelle Alboreto, but I wouldn't change the name of such an iconic corner.

Agreed.  Parabolica is too famous to be re-named after anyone.  Surely they could name one of the other corners at Monza for Michele?  Not that are many corners there, but coudn't Curva Grande become Curva Alboreto?  Or the Lesmos could become Michele and Aboreto?

Edited by BRG, 01 September 2021 - 10:32.

[absinthedude]

Not sure that renaming Parabolica is a great idea, likely everyone will still refer to it as "Parabolica"...but as something of a fan of Michele I'm happy to see him so honoured. 

 

Lots of parts of race tracks which are now iconic are really mundane descriptors....the Hangar straight at Sliverstone named after an aircraft hangar which was beside it for many years. Maison Blanche at Le Mans. Even La Source and Eau Rouge. 

[JimmyClark]

 Or the Lesmos could become Michele and Aboreto?

 

I just spat my tea out 

 

Why not name the whole circuit after him? Autodromo Nazionale di Michele Alboreto. 

Edited by JimmyClark, 01 September 2021 - 10:46.

[absinthedude]

Agreed.  Parabolica is too famous to be re-named after anyone.  Surely they could name one of the other corners at Monza for Michele?  Not that are many corners there, but coudn't Curva Grande become Curva Alboreto?  Or the Lesmos could become Michele and Aboreto?

 

Curve Grande isn't even particularly grand any more due to the Retifillio chicane. rename it Curva Alboreto. Or rename one of the chicanes. Keep Ascari but rename Retifillio which is rarely named by commentators anyway. 

[LucaP]

I think Variante Rettifilo is now called Prima Variante since its reprofiling in the early 2000s.
"Rettifilo" is a very very old fashioned way to say "rettilineo", which means "straight".
So, it's basically "straight chicane" which is so awkward. Like the corner itself.

Parabolica has always been a bit of a confusing name to me, at least in italian that term normally designates a banked turn, so it basically describes both the last corner of the current F1 track and both ends of the former oval. At least now the former can be distinguished as Parabolica Alboreto.

To be honest I've never understood why it's called Parabolica although it's not banked...is it because it's close to the actual banked parabolica? Or is it just the bidimensional shape of the corner on paper?

Edited by LucaP, 01 September 2021 - 11:49.

[danmills]

Appreciate the sentiment but its a bit pointless. Parabolica is very iconic, I'd imagine most will still call it that.

 

There is absolutely no connection to that corner and this mans career. At what point do we stop renaming corners after drivers in the name of honour? Grandstands I can understand because theyre just objects, but corners are often usually descriptive of their context.

Edited by danmills, 01 September 2021 - 11:55.

[Ivanhoe]

Circuitsofthepast.com claims the name was ‘Variante del Rettifilo’ meaning ‘chicane of the straight’ and mentions this anecdote.

Because of my knowledge of the Italian language I always have to laugh when reporters shorten the name of the firs chicane, called “Variante del Rettifilo”, to Rettifilo. I still hear good old Murray Walker yell at his typical manner: “And there they go, into the Rettifilo!”. Many people will now be wondering what it is so funny about that. For those who don’t speak Italian, here a short lesson: Variante = chicane. Rettifilo = straight. “Variante del Rettifilo” means chicane of the straight.

So, Murray Walker said in fact, “And there they go, into the straight!”, while you saw the cars going into a chicane! “Oh look at them, braking very late for the straight”

[PayasYouRace]

I think Variante Rettifilo is now called Prima Variante since its reprofiling in the early 2000s.
"Rettifilo" is a very very old fashioned way to say "rettilineo", which means "straight".
So, it's basically "straight chicane" which is so awkward. Like the corner itself.

Parabolica has always been a bit of a confusing name to me, at least in italian that term normally designates a banked turn, so it basically describes both the last corner of the current F1 track and both ends of the former oval. At least now the former can be distinguished as Parabolica Alboreto.

To be honest I've never understood why it's called Parabolica although it's not banked...is it because it's close to the actual banked parabolica? Or is it just the bidimensional shape of the corner on paper?

Were the banked turns called something that translates to “Superelevation” which was an older way of describing banking?

[PayasYouRace]

Circuitsofthepast.com claims the name was ‘Variante del Rettifilo’ meaning ‘chicane of the straight’ and mentions this anecdote.

We’re not immune from that sort of nonsense even in English. The Old Hairpin at Donington Park was never in a form that could be described as a hairpin.

[LucaP]

Were the banked turns called something that translates to “Superelevation” which was an older way of describing banking?

Yes, you have a point, the oval turns were called Sopraelevata back then. I doubt anyone would use the term nowadays. As the term fell in disuse, I guess people started calling banked turns "paraboliche" which came to coincide with the Gp track turn.

Also, calling the chicanes "Variante" derives from the habit of refusing english terms until the 60'70s.. the first temporary chicanes were used in Monza in the Thirties (thankfully shortlived) and back then fascism would not allow foreign terms.
Some of the alternative translations are still in use today (for instance, calcio instead of football) but others did not have any success. For example, calling a bar "quisibeve" was never going to catch on ;)

[milestone 11]

Yes, you have a point, the oval turns were called Sopraelevata back then. I doubt anyone would use the term nowadays. As the term fell in disuse, I guess people started calling banked turns "paraboliche" which came to coincide with the Gp track turn.
Also, calling the chicanes "Variante" derives from the habit of refusing english terms until the 60'70s.. the first temporary chicanes were used in Monza in the Thirties (thankfully shortlived) and back then fascism would not allow foreign terms.
Some of the alternative translations are still in use today (for instance, calcio instead of football) but others did not have any success. For example, calling a bar "quisibeve" was never going to catch on ;)

I prefer Davide Valsecchi's chickens.

[Sterzo]

Not a lover of naming corners after drivers. I prefer a driver's name to be reserved for the driver and a place to be a place. And place names have a history of being odd or inaccurate or mundane, which does add to their appeal. So, on balance, I'd say: what a load of parabolics.

[absinthedude]

The first time the Rettifilio was used for a grand prix, Murray Walker had mis-read it and excitedly told us "there they go to the Rettificcio"

 

Which part was Vialone....Ascari?

 

Why not name a straight after Alboreto?

[GlenWatkins]

I always thought that the name referred to the shape of the banking, not the shape of the corner

[Ruusperi]

Whatever, but weren't the supposed regravel the corner? https://www.gpblog.c...a-at-monza.html

[PayasYouRace]

Yes, you have a point, the oval turns were called Sopraelevata back then. I doubt anyone would use the term nowadays. As the term fell in disuse, I guess people started calling banked turns "paraboliche" which came to coincide with the Gp track turn.

Also, calling the chicanes "Variante" derives from the habit of refusing english terms until the 60'70s.. the first temporary chicanes were used in Monza in the Thirties (thankfully shortlived) and back then fascism would not allow foreign terms.
Some of the alternative translations are still in use today (for instance, calcio instead of football) but others did not have any success. For example, calling a bar "quisibeve" was never going to catch on ;)

Chicane is a French word, no?

[Ivanhoe]

Chicane is a French word, no?

Probably a derivative of 'chicaner'

[PayasYouRace]

I always thought that the name referred to the shape of the banking, not the shape of the corner

Doesn’t explain the Parabolica at Estoril though.

[Dolph]

Parabolica is an iconic corner and synonymous with Monza, I don't understand why anyone would change the name. What's next, Pouhon?

Actually its officially not Pouhon, but smth else.

[Singularity]

They have two Lesmo's, why not give him one of them? There will be generations passing before someone will refer to Parabolica as something other than Parabolica.

[LucaP]

Chicane is a French word, no?

Still foreign ;)

[Rediscoveryx]

Well, count me in to the great-that-Alboreto-is-commemorated-but-why-Parabolica-?-camp.

 

At Monza, the Curva Grande, Lesmos, Ascari and Parabolica are all iconic names that I wouldn't fiddle with.

 

Couldn't they have renamed the back straight in his honor? Or (provided they have a tounge-in-cheek approach) why not the short straight between the first chicane and Curva Grande, given his spin there in the 1986 race. 

[Izzyeviel]

On one hand its a bit odd he gets an iconic corner all to himself, on the other, he was a great guy so hell yeah.

[PayasYouRace]

Still foreign ;)

Just wondering if it was just the English there.

[IrvTheSwerve]

It'll still be turn 11 to the teams though, unfortunately. 

 

I was waiting for someone to say 'big crash at turn 2' after Norris' crash at Raidillion (turn 3 if being pedantic I guess). That would confuse some people, lol.

[Rediscoveryx]

It'll still be turn 11 to the teams though, unfortunately. 

 

I was waiting for someone to say 'big crash at turn 2' after Norris' crash at Raidillion (turn 3 if being pedantic I guess). That would confuse some people, lol.

 

Listen to the team radio on Youtube. 

 

Spoiler alert: It was actually Turn 4. 

[milestone 11]

Actually its officially not Pouhon, but smth else.

Doppiasinistra

[milestone 11]

Just imagine, we could have a wonderful corner called Centotrentaraggio instead of the usual nonsense.

[jonpollak]

Parabolica is an iconic corner and synonymous with Monza, I don't understand why anyone would change the name. What's next, Pouhon?

They need to name turn 9 though.
Even if they just say ‘Number Nine’ in a deep voice.
Right now the commentators say No-Name turn.
Jp

[DeKnyff]

And it isn't even a parabola!

 

Not su sure, this parabola and the curve fit quire well.

 

[Ivanhoe]

They need to name turn 9 though.
Even if they just say ‘Number Nine’ in a deep voice.
Right now the commentators say No-Name turn.
Jp

Curva nove sounds good to me