Italian Grand Prix: Preview

Italy has a distinguished history in the motor-racing industry, with MoneyGram Haas F1 Team’s long-term partner Ferrari based in Maranello, where MoneyGram Haas F1 Team has its design offices. Maranello is a focal part of Italy’s ‘Motor Valley,’ where the spine of its motorsport and motoring industry is located, but its heartbeat emanates from the high-speed Autodromo Nazionale Monza, which has long been the home of Formula 1’s Italian Grand Prix. Monza has hosted 72 Formula 1 grands prix, more than any other circuit in history. 

The track, constructed in the verdant Villa Reale Park of Monza, to the north of Lombardy’s affluent Milan, was first used in 1922. Since then it has been the de facto home of Formula 1’s Italian Grand Prix, absent only once in 1980, when renovation works were undertaken.

The circuit has evolved across the decades, with the famed banked oval discontinued in the 1960s, while chicanes were ultimately added, redesigned, and refined.

Nevertheless, Monza remains one of the fastest circuits on the planet, with Lewis Hamilton clocking an average lap speed of 264.363km/h – the quickest lap in Formula 1 history – during qualifying in 2020. Monza consequently needs a low-downforce set-up to achieve high top speed, meaning the impact of the slipstream and DRS is lessened compared to usual.

However, despite the desire for maximum velocity, drivers also need extreme confidence for Monza’s critical braking zones and commitment to tackle its few but vital medium and high-speed corners, such as the Ascari chicane and Parabolica curve.

Kevin Magnussen has contested seven Italian grands prix while Nico Hulkenberg has competed nine times at the venue, twice recording a top five finish, in 2013 and 2019 respectively.

Guenther Steiner: 

The Dutch Grand Prix was a race that relied on quick-thinking, flexibility and some risk-taking. How would you assess the race for the team regarding aspects within our control?

“I think we performed very well in that respect. It wasn’t always easy. With hindsight we would always do things differently, but I think the only thing we could’ve done would be to bring in Nico when it first started raining at the beginning of the race. At the time, we wanted to split the strategy, so it wasn’t the wrong decision, but obviously we didn’t know what was coming, Otherwise, I think the pit crew was always on it with the tire changes, we had all good pit stops and it was pretty smooth.”

 

What significance did the updates brought to Zandvoort have on the VF-23 and at this point in the season, what’s more vital to the team – improving consistency in the car or finding pace?

“It was very difficult to assess with the difficult conditions and the crashes that we had in the free practice sessions, so we never really had good data. Mainly Kevin said it was an improvement on the car, but we have to verify over the next two races because with Monza it’s also very difficult to come to a conclusion because of its high-speed character. What we need to find is pace, I think we can get consistency in the car pretty easily but we need pace and we’ll keep working on it.”

Next, we head to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix, the final European round of this season. With the sport growing in popularity globally, how important still is the European market to Formula 1? 

“Formula 1 was born in Europe, so it’s very important and I think everyone knows the importance of it. We’ve got a big fan base here, one that’s followed the sport for a long time, as in other parts of the world. I think there will always be a home base, and that will be Europe. Obviously for this season, this is the last race in Europe before we go to Asia, the Middle East and the Americas, but I always think Europe will be very important for Formula 1.”

 

It’s a home race for our engine supplier Ferrari as well as many of our team members. In terms of racing heritage, where does the Autodromo Nazionale Monza rank and what racing memories do you have from the circuit? 

“Monza is one of our home circuits, I think we have quite a few now. Monza is always a place with such history and fans, it’s just a special place when you drive into the park and circuit, it’s always good to go there. We have a lot of team members in Italy at our Maranello base and for them it’s a good chance to see a race and see the team. It’s one of the good races throughout the year. I have good memories of getting a podium here with Eddie Irvine in 2002, so one day we’ll get a podium again.”