Introduction
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Italian Grand Prix is one of the oldest and most historic Grands Prix. It was first hosted in 1921 and was won by Jules Goux, the legendary Frenchman who also won the Indy 500 in 1913. That first race was held at Brescia, but one track has become synonymous with the Italian Grand Prix - Monza. The Autodromo Nazionale Monza has hosted the Italian Grand Prix nearly every year since it was built in 1922. One of the oldest race tracks in the world, it has undergone many remakes and facelifts over the years. Known for its high speeds and danger, and the rabid Tifosi that turn out in droves to cheer on their beloved Ferrari, it's known to them as "La Pista Magica", or "Place of Magic".
The Tifosi
The Race director at his seat, 1968.
The Tifosi, 1970.
Pre-war
The first Italian Grand Prix was held at Montichiari, a small track in Brescia, which was won by Jules Goux.
Jules Goux in his winning Ballot.
It was then decided by the Milan Auto Club, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their founding, to build a track that would rival other permanent facilities. After much consideration, the site at Monza was chosen. Work began in Febuary 1922, with the first stones being laid by Vincenzo Lancia and Felice Nazzaro, two of Italy's early racing greats.
When first opened in 1922, it was actually two tracks combined. There was a 5.5 km (3.41 miles) road section with a 4.5 km (2.8 mile) oval with low banking.
The Alfa-Romeo squad at Monza in 1923, with a very young Enzo Ferrari.
The 1923 race - Felice Nazzaro in a FIAT battles the Benz Tropfenwagen of Ferdinando Minoia. The Tropfenwagen was an early pre-cursor to the rear-engined Auto Union.
The 1924 race winner Antonio Ascari celebrates with his riding mechanic Ramponi and Alfa Romeo chief Nicola Romeo. Antonio Ascari holds his young son Alberto, who would be World Champion in 1952 and 1953.
Newspaper showing the 1924 winners.
Monza is as legendary as it is deadly, with some of the worst accidents in auto racing's history occuring there, which always led to the track being reworked for safety. In 1928, the Talbot of Emilio Materassi crashed, killing both the driver and 27 spectators. As a result of the 1928 crash, until 1933, the races were confined to the outer loop, or oval section of the track.
Emilio Matessari at the 1926 race, driving a Diatto, which would go on to become the Maserati.
The Alfa-Romeo team of (L - R) Baconin Borzachini, Chief Enzo Ferrari, Tazio Nuvolari and Giuseppe Campari at Monza in 1930.
The driver lineup for the 1931 race at Monza.
The cars lined up for the 1932 race. The Bugatti of Achille Varzi is in the forefront, with Tazio Nuvolari lined up beside him in an Alfa-Romeo. Tazio Nuvolari would win.
The start in 1932.
Another terrible accident occured on the oval in 1933, when an accident caused by oil on the track caused the death of three drivers, Guisseppe Campari, Baconin Borzacchini and Count Stanislas Czaykowski.
Giuseppe Campari with his Alfa-Romeo before the start.
The cars of Borzachini and Campari after the crash.
This prompted another change to the track, with the long straights being shortened and numerous chicanes added. This would result in what was agreed by all as a very boring and uneventful race in 1934. The drivers, in all, would have to negotiate a total of 1600 turns, and the race would take over four hours to run, with Rudy Caracciola taking the win, but after having to be relieved by a subtitute driver, Luigi Fagioli.
The Maserati of Tazio Nuvolari being rolled out for the start in 1934.
The cars working their way through the winding chicanes during the 1934 race. Eventual winner Rudy Caracciola in a Mercedes leads Achille Varzi in an Alfa-Romeo and Tazio Nuvolari in a Maserati.
The Maserati of Tazio Nuvolari leads the Auto Union of Bernd Rosemeyer at Monza in 1936. Rosemeyer would get by for the win.
Eventual winner Bernd Rosemeyer in 1936.
Achille Varzi made a return to racing after a personal battle with drug use. After prodding by Bernd Rosemeyer, the team signed Achille back in time for the 1936 race. Here, Varzi is seen during the race. He would score a DNF.
After being competed at the Livorno circuit in 1937, the Italian Grand Prix was back at Monza for 1938. A major revamp of the track was started that year, but was never completed due to the onset of war.
Tazio Nuvolari on his way to winning the 1938 race . This would be the last Italian Grand Prix until after the war .
Post-war
Monza fell into some disrepair during WWII , being used for a storage area for government vehicles, and even animals from the nearby zoo. A parade by Allied forces in 1945 tore up the main straight of the track. So when racing resumed in Italy in 1947, the Italian Grand Prix was held at Milan.
The #2 of Achille Varzi and #12 of Count Felice Trossi lined up for the start in 1947 . Trossi would win .
In 1948, the Milan Auto Club decided to restore the Monza track, and even though work was completed quickly, with a race for Formula cars being held there that year, the Italian Grand Prix was run at the Valentino Park circuit, which was won by Jean-Pierre Wimille.
Cars on the Valentino circuit in 1948 .
Nino Farina's Ferrari at the 1948 race.
Start of the 1948 race. Jean-Pierre Wimille would win in an Alfa-Romeo.
The Italian Grand Prix would return to it's home in Monza in 1949 and, except for one race, has remained there ever since. The race in 1949 was won by Alberto Ascari, in a Ferrari of course.
The Maserati of Frolian Gonzalez before the 1952 race. Alberto Ascari would win again this year, in a Ferrari.
The 1953 race. The Maserati of Juan Manuel Fangio battles the Ferraris of Farina and Ascari. Juan Manuel Fangio would win.
In 1955, it was decided to do another workover on Monza, returning it back more to its original design. There would be a 5.75 km (3.57 miles) road section combined with a 4.25 km (2.64 mile) oval again, which when used in conjunction, resulted in a 10 km (6.2 miles) long circuit. The oval section would include the legendary "Parabolica" high banked curves. There was also an overpass which carried the cars over a section of the track.
The Mercedes of Juan Manuel Fangio in the pits, 1955. He would win.
Fangio on his way to the win in 1955.
The Lancia-Ferraris lined up and ready for the 1956 race. Luigi Musso's Ferrari would suffer a heartbreaking DNF with 5 laps left, handing the victory to Stirling Moss in a Maserati.
An all Vanwall front row for the 1957 race. The #22 of Tony Brooks, the #18 of Stirling Moss and Stuart Lewis-Evans in the #20. Stirling Moss would take the win.
Two photos of the Maserati of Jean Behra leading Stirling Moss in 1957.
Behra would mount a spirited challenge to Moss, but score a DNF.
The Ferrari of Mike Hawthorne would split the Vanwalls of Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks at the start of the 1958 race. Tony Brooks would win this year.
The Ferrari of Phil Hill leads the Vanwall Of Stirling Moss in 1958. Hill would finish 3rd, Moss would score a DNF.
The #14 Cooper of Stirling Moss, the Ferrari of Tony Brooks and the Cooper of Jack Brabham ready for the start in 1959. Moss would get the win again this year.
The Coopers of Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham battle in 1959.
Maurice Trigtinant in a Cooper and Olivier Gendebein in a Ferrari in 1959.
The Sixties
The 1960 Italian Grand Prix, won by Phil Hill in a Ferrari, was not without controversy. The Bigger British teams boycotted the race as they did not want to compete on the high-speed section, considering it too dangerous. Some F-2 cars were allowed to compete to help fill out the field.
Phil Hill celebrates his win in 1960. It would be the first win in Formula One racing for an American driver.
The full 10 km course would be used for the 1955 - 1956 races, and the 1960 - 61 races. An accident which claimed the lives of driver Wolfgang von Tripps and 11 spectators would put an end to the use of the high speed sector at the 1961 event, even though it wasn't involved. His teammate Phil Hill would win the race and World Championship that day, but there was no celebrating.
Ferrari newcomer Ricardo Rodriguez 1961, he would score a DNF
The "sharknose" Ferrari's in the pits before the race, 1961.
The Ferrari of Giancarlo Baghetti on the "parabolica" banking during the 1961 race.
Graham Hill leads early on in the 1963 Italian Grand Prix, pursued by John Surtees and Jim Clark. Clark would get by them both and take the win.
Start of the 1964 race. Graham Hill can be seen with his arm in the air after his clutch failed. The Ferrari of John Surtees would win.
Surtees leading Jackie Stewart in 1964
Lorenzo Bandini during the 1965 race. He would be the highest scoring Ferrari, finishing fourth. Jackie Stewart would win in a BRM.
John Surtees leads in the Honda and hangs on for the win in 1967. Jim Clark would make a spectacular run to finish third after going a lap down.
Derek Bell would make his Formula One debut for Ferrari at Monza in 1968. His race would end early with mechanical trouble.
Start of the 1968 race. John Surtees on pole in a Honda, Bruce McLaren in his own car in the middle and Chris Amon in a Ferrari on the outside. Denny Hulme would take the win.
Jackie Stewart, Jochen Rindt, Jean-Pierre Beltoise and Bruce Mclaren are seen here battling during the final laps of the 1969 Italian Grand Prix. In one of the most exciting Grand Prix races ever, with the leaders swapping position and fighting until the checkers, Jackie Stewart would gain the win and the World Championship.
The Seventies and beyond
The seventies would see some of the fastest and most exciting Grands Prix ever take place at Monza. The 1971 Italian Grand Prix was, for 32 years, the fastest Grand Prix of all time, until that record was broken in 2003, appropriately enough at Monza. The finish of the 1971 Italian Grand Prix remains the closest finish of all time in Formula 1. There were, however, tragedies - in 1970, Jochen Rindt was killed in an accident in qualifying. He would become posthumous world champion. In 1978, Ronnie Peterson would lose his life after a start-line pile up. Because of the extreme speeds that were being reached, chicanes were introduced after the 1971 race to slow the cars down.
Clay Regazzoni wins at Monza in 1970. There was no celebration, as Jochen Rindt had lost his life in a crash during practice.
Jackie Ickx in the Ferrari and Chris Amon in a Matra out front for the start of the 1972 race. Both would score DNF's.
Emerson Fittipaldi in his car before the race.
Emerson on his way to the win in 1972.
Clay Regazzoni in his Ferrari before the 1974 race. He would not finish.
Ronnie Peterson leads Patrick Depailler during the 1974 Italian Grand Prix. Peterson would win the race that day. He would lose his life at Monza in 1978.
Gilles Villeneuve in the Ferrari at Monza in 1979. He would run second to teammate Jody Scheckter, who would win the race and World Championship.
Derek Warwick wads up his Lotus shortly after the start in 1990. He would be unhurt, and restart the race in a backup car.
Ayrton Senna celebrating his win in 1990, Alain Prost finished second.
Christan Fittipaldi runs over the back of Pierluigi Martini at the end of the 1993 race and goes head over heels. He was unhurt. Damon Hill would take the win in a Williams.
The intensity of Formula One competition is evident here as Mika Hakkinen is inconsolable after pitching it off during the 1999 Italian Grand Prix. Heinz-Harald Frentzen would win.
Fernando Alonso during the 2006 Italian Grand Prix on his way to a DNF.
7 time World Champ Micheal Schumacher celebrates his final win at Monza with Jean Todt in 2006. He would announce his retirement during the post-race press conference.
