THE TRACK:
Race Distance: 53 laps - Circuit Length: 3.600 miles (5.793 kms)
The Autodromo Nazionale di Monza is bursting with motorsport tradition and remains one of the most challenging circuits in the world. Possessing a unique character and ambience, Monza is
Formula One's oldest road course and despite being altered from its original layout in the interests of safety, it is still the fastest circuit on the calendar. Due to the pace of the circuit, cars must be set up with the lowest downforce levels possible without causing stability problems under braking.
They must also be able to ride the Monza kerbs effectively and remain well balanced without too much understeer at high speed. In addition, good traction is important for exiting the revised Rettifilio and Roggia chicanes effectively and braking must be optimised to cope with the very high temperatures generated when drivers slow from top speed to negotiate these low speed sections.
Overtaking is possible at the first and second chicanes, but the fast corners before each passing place make it hard to follow another car closely because of the vagaries of modern aerodynamics and races can become quickly strung out. These days, the slipstreaming manoeuvres of yore tend to take place only when cars on two-stop strategies have a significant performance advantage over heavier one-stoppers.
THE WINNER?
Fernando Alonso may have been able to pull his lead out to twelve points again, but he knows full well he was unable to match either
Ferrari on raw speed. There is little to suggest that this will not be the case this weekend, particularly as
Felipe Massa will be riding on a confidence high and now under no pressure from himself to give up a potential first win for his team-mate. With that in mind, Alonso will need to beat two, not just one Ferrari on Sunday.
LAST SEASON:
Another race, another pre-race engine change for Kimi Raikkonen that prevented him from taking victory on a day where he was clearly the quickest driver. As a result, it was team-mate
Juan Pablo Montoya who claimed the spoils, the Colombian leading from start to finish from
Fernando Alonso, who consolidated his points lead in second, while Giancarlo Fisichella became the first Italian on a Monza podium in 17 years.
Raikkonen recovered to a largely unsatisfying fourth, while Toyota kept the pressure on Ferrari with fifth and sixth. Antonio Pizzonia caused a stir after stepping in for the injured
Nick Heidfeld at
Williams and taking seventh, ahead of Jenson Button's BAR.
1.
Juan-Pablo Montoya Colombia
McLaren-Mercedes 1hr 14mins 28.659secs
53 laps
2.
Fernando Alonso Spain
Renault-Renault +2.4s
3.
Giancarlo Fisichella Italy
Renault-Renault +17.9s
4.
Kimi Raikkonen Finland
McLaren-Mercedes 22.7s
5.
Jarno Trulli Italy
Toyota-Toyota +33.7s
6.
Ralf Schumacher Germany
Toyota-Toyota +43.9s
7.
Antonio Pizzonia Brazil
Williams-BMW +44.6s
8.
Jenson Button Britain
BAR-Honda +1min 03.6s
