Monza

The Monza track was constructed between May and July 1922 by 3,500 workers, financed by the Milan Automobile Club through the Società Incremento Automobilismo e Sport (SIAS). The initial form included a 4.490 km (2.790 mi) paved oval and a 5.500 km (3.418 mi) road course, which could be combined into a 10.000 km (6.214 mi) course. The circuit officially opened on September 3, 1922, with the second Italian Grand Prix held on September 10, 1922. Monza’s proximity to Milan was beneficial, as Milan was a major economic center even in the 1920s [.

The first race held at Monza was the 1922 Italian Grand Prix. In 1928, a serious accident during the Italian Grand Prix resulted in the death of driver Emilio Materassi and 27 spectators, leading to a temporary confinement of Grand Prix races to the high-speed loop until 1932. The 1930 Monza Grand Prix was held only on the high-speed ring, and Vincenzo Florio introduced the Florio Circuit in the same year.

In 1954, a major revamp of the circuit began, resulting in a 5.750 km (3.573 mi) course and a new 4.250 km (2.641 mi) high-speed oval with banked curves. The two circuits could be combined to recreate the former 10.000 km (6.214 mi) long course. The combined circuit was used in the Formula One World Championship in 1955, 1956, 1960 and 1961. Stirling Moss and Phil Hill both won twice during this period, with Hill’s 1960 win making him the first American to win a Formula One race.

The 1961 Italian Grand Prix saw the death of Wolfgang von Trips and fifteen spectators when a collision with Jim Clark’s Lotus sent von Trips’ car airborne into the barriers at the approach to the Parabolica. This led to the end of Formula One use of the oval track due to safety concerns. In 1973, Renzo Pasolini and Jarno Saarinen were killed in a mass crash at the Curva Grande during the 250 cc class of the Nations Grand Prix, leading to the cessation of motorcycle racing at Monza until 1981.

Ronnie Peterson was involved in a crash during the start of the 1978 Italian Grand Prix. Peterson died in hospital as a result of injuries sustained in the accident [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978_Italian_Grand_Prix]. Paolo Gislimberti, a marshal, was killed in 2000 by flying debris from a first-lap accident at the Roggia chicane during the Italian Grand Prix.

Currently, Monza hosts rounds of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, International GT Open, Euroformula Open Championship, as well as local championships such as the TCR Italian Series, Italian GT Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup Italia, and Italian F4 Championship, and the Monza Rally Show. In 2020, Monza hosted the ACI Rally Monza, the final round of the World Rally Championship, with the circuit hosting 10 of the 16 rally stages. The circuit also hosts cycling and running events, including the Monza 12h Cycling Marathon and Monza 21 Half Marathon, and was the location for Nike’s Breaking2 event, where Eliud Kipchoge ran a marathon in 2:00:25.