The track is known as The Temple of Speed, and always brings good reason for drivers, teams and fans to get excited.
It was the world’s third purpose-built circuit for motor racing in 1922. Only Brooklands in the UK and Indianapolis in the US pre-dating it. Monza has hosted the Italian Grand Prix every year since 1950 – apart from once in 1980 where it moved to Imola. This year’s running of the Italian Grand Prix will be the 74th time the race has taken place at Monza.
There’s an extremely good reason Monza has been given the moniker of ‘The Temple of Speed’ and that is because, boy, it is fast. The drivers are at full throttle for 84% of the lap, with just 36 gear changes expected, and hit top speed along the 1.5km straight at around 350kph before slamming on the anchors to drop to 70kph into the tight Variante del Rettifilo chicane.
There are some fantastic corners on the 11-turn circuit (seven right-handers, four left) including the world-famous Parabolica, which has an increasing radius as the drivers navigate it, meaning they need to use optimal power without losing grip - or they might find themselves in the wall and out of the race earlier than planned!
The Team hasn’t exactly dominated Monza over the years, but there have been several highlights. Sebastian Vettel has won twice at the circuit throughout his career with Red Bull, and Max has won the last two outings of the Italian Grand Prix in both 2022 and 2023, with Checo joining him on the podium last year in P2.
The Bulls will be pumped to see how hard they can push their RB20s at the Temple of Speed this weekend. Their first opportunity comes on Friday at 13:30 track time (11:30UTC) when they will hit the track for Free Practice One. You’ll be able to keep up-to-date with all the action right here with exclusive phots, videos and interviews.
