15 replies to this topic

[unrepentant lurker]

I know the last Grand Prix was held in '61, and that was under some controversy with reguard to safety. I was wondering if anybody had any info on races held at Monza that incorporated the banking since that last GP.


Pictures that I have seen of the banking look clearly like no one has touched it in years. I doubt that it could handle the stress generated by modern race cars.

[William Dale Jr]

The Monza 1000km sportscar race was held on the banking up until 1968, infact, my dad was a friend of Paul Hawkins, 1967 co-winner with David Hobbs in one of John Wyer's GT40s. Does the Monza rally have any stages on the banking?

[LittleChris]

I think the Monza Rally did use part of the banking because surely Jean Alesi famously crashed there last year

[Mickey]

Indeed, the Monza Rallye is the only event that AFAIK still uses the banking. Here are the maps of the Rally last year: friday, saturday, and sunday

[mat1]

This reminds me: when was the banking of Monza built? Some sources say: 1955, others suggest right at the start of the circuit, i.e., 1922 or so.

Does anyone know the answer?

mat

[Al.]

I believe that it was used in the pre-war days of the Silver Arrows. ( Merc and Auto Union ).
I understand that towards the end of the 30's they only used the one bank coming onto the start/finish straight and that had a chicane in the middle of the corner at the base of the bank. On the run down to Parabolica they did a 90 degree left and then joined the back straight of the banking. Not sure why this layout as both banked corners were built at the time. Reasons given today suggest that the Italians were trying to alter the track to slow it down, as a high speed track just played into the hands of the Silver Arrows.

This insight is as a result of a PC game 'Spirit of 1937' by Microprose, Looks to be an attempt at a GPL type game (released one year after GPL hit the shops).

[Darren Galpin]

As I understand it, there were plans for a banked oval in 1922, but it was not constructed until 1955. There was another "oval"-ish type track in use in 1922:

[Mickey]

I think it was build in 55.
Look at monzasport.it banked section for details

[Mickey]

Actually, there's this other section on monzasport.it about circuit history, that tells that the banking was build in 1922, and I understand it was then re-built in 1955.

[fines]

The original banking and Parabolica were destroyed during WW2 and rebuilt in 1955.

[fines]

BTW, Darren's maps are both from after WW2. The original road course and oval were slightly different.

[Vitesse2]

The original Monza banking was built in 1922, as shown on Darren's map. The road course was 5.5km, the banked track 4.5km. These were sometimes combined to form a 10km circuit, used for the Italian GP in 1922-28 and 1931-33. Two other circuits, the Florio and Short Florio, were added in the thirties. However, the original banking was demolished in 1939. IIRC Monza was used as a military vehicle park like Donington and Brooklands.

The 'new' banking was constructed in 1955.

[fines]

Sorry Vitesse, but Darren's map clearly shows the post-war circuit(s). On the original one the backstraight was were the parallel straight is now. Road circuit before WW2: 5.5 km, after WW2: 5.75 km. Oval before WW2: 4.5 km, after WW2: 4.25 km.

[Vitesse2]

You're right there Michael, I didn't look close enough - the large map appears to be the 1947-55 layout with the old banked circuit shown as disused. However, what's your source for a 5.75km lap - surely it's 6.3 as mentioned on Darren's map??

[fines]

Of course, I was referring to the 1955 variant, not the intermediate one.;)

[Don Capps]

I will have to pull my Monza book off the bookshelf and refresh my memory about some of the circuit's history.

The original banking was not the same as that thrown up prior to the 1955 GP. The modern banking was much steeper than that used prior to The War. It was interesting to see the banking in 1955. I missed the 1954 race because I was sick or something and didn't get to go. (Or maybe I was just a pest and Dad didn't want to be bothered.)

In 1960, we were at Monza for nearly a week and so I really got to look the place over. I remember looking for sections of the old pre-War track and so forth. I remember a wonder gentleman taking us all over the place, to include a walking tour of the track, pointing out this and that:"..here is were Nuvolari passed Caracciola..." or "...here is where Ascari crashed..." and so on. It was one of the highpoints of that season for me.

I only wish I had that sort of opportunity again. I was very interested in the pre-War period even back then and so I am sure that I sorely tested the poor man's patience at times. However, he seemed used to boys asking no end of such questions....