The high-speed course through the Royal Villa of Monza park, north of Milan, is similar in outline now to how it originally looked. A little later, large areas were used for storage of military vehicles and war surplus, mainly in the southern part of the circuit.
Then, later the same day, Count Stanisław Czaykowski's Bugatti overturned on the south curve and caught fire; the Polish driver died in the ensuing blaze.These events led to the virtual abandonment of the combined and speed courses in the following years, further variations of the Florio or the road course being preferred. View Larger Map. The promising Bruno Deserti perished here, as did Tommy Spychiger, Englishman Boley Pittard and, most infamously, Austrian Jochen Rindt, the only man to be posthumously declared Formula One champion.Speeds grew ever higher as the racing cars grew steadily more sophisticated and, after the 1971 GP proved the shortest and fastest race of all time, Peter Gethin taking his only victory for BRM in the last of the slipstreamers, it was clear changes were necessary if the circuit was to continue.In 1972, a chicane was introduced on the Grandstand Straight, a slightly clumsy slow-speed flick just before the entrance to the Junior circuit, along with a higher speed chicane bypassing the Vialone curve and named in memory of Alberto Ascari, who had perished at the same spot some 17 years previously. The race meeting was ultimately cancelled, but more tragedy arrived 40 days later in a junior race when three gentlman riders fell and were fatally injured at the same point. The last major alteration to the track in 2000 saw the twin chicanes at Rettifilio replaced with a single, much tighter sequence of bends.Even with the slower corner, Monza regularly sees the highest speeds of the season.
Von Trips and 10 spectators lost their lives immediately and another five died later in hospital.The disaster largely spelled the end for the full circuit with its banked course; Grand Prix races thereafter used only ran the road course, although it was used for the Monza 1,000 Kilometres, reserved for the Sports, Prototype and Grand Touring categories, from 1965 to 1969. The new high-speed loop was built on reinforced concrete pillars, rather than earth banks and cut through the Vedano course, necessitating a new final parabolic curve.
The combined road and high speed oval course, grandstands, service roads and other spectator facilities were all ready as promised for the Grand Prix. From then until 1981, the motorcycle Grand Prix was transferred elsewhere and the only bike racing occurred on the Junior circuit for minor championships.In 1974 the Ascari chicane was completely revised, opening the entry to the chicane with a more flowing curve and installing a broad run-off area with a sand layer and catch fencing. Up to 3,500 workman were brought in to complete construction at a feverish pace, with 300 wagons, 200 trucks and even a three-mile temporary railway laid out among the trees.Remarkably, in just 110 days, the entire complex was completed. With the steadily decaying remnants of the high speed banked circuit providing a backdrop through the parkland trees, the atmosphere here is like no other; a mix of speed, melodrama and more than a hint of melancholy.Its history began shortly after the First World War, when the Italian motor industry was undergoing its first great ascendancy. Get directions, maps, and traffic for Monza, Lombardia.
During the second lap, the Ferrari of Wolfgang von Tripps and the Lotus of Jim Clark tangled in the braking area for the Parabolica, sending the German's car into the air and rolling across a spectator zone.
The track increased in length by 109 yards as a result.Motorcycle Grands Prix continued to use the original road course without chicanes until the 1973 event saw another 'Black Sunday'.
By the mid-seventies the rising speeds at the circuit were becoming a cause for concern, even if it meant many races finished with a thrilling, side-by-side sprint to the flag.
Malpensa handles the most international flights, but Linate is closest to the city centre and is the most convenient for the track.