The Italian Grand Prix, which takes place this weekend at the Monza circuit, is one of just two races – the other being the British Grand Prix - to have appeared in every single Formula 1 season.
This year's event will be the 65th Italian Grand Prix and the 63rd to take place at the track, with Imola hosting one race in 1980. Over the years, the layout has changed very little and produced some thrilling races. Here are just a few memorable moments.
For more on the 2014 Italian Grand Prix, be sure to check out my race preview here: http://bit.ly/1qiDEYL
Ferrari wins on home soil
McLaren was expected to dominate the 1988 Italian Grand Prix at Monza and secure yet another race win, but things didn’t go according to plan for the team, gifting the victory to Ferrari.
It was an emotional weekend for the Maranello-based outfit, as the event took place less than a month after the death of the team's fonder Enzo Ferrari. Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto lined up third and fourth on the grid behind the McLaren duo of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
Prost briefly took the lead at the start but an engine misfire caused him to fall back to second. The Frenchman managed to catch up with Senna but just as he did, he was forced to retire and promoted the Ferrari drivers to second and third. Then, with two laps to go, Senna collided with Jean-Louis Schlesser as he attempted to lap the Williams driver, who was replacing the ill Nigel Mansell, at the Rettifilo chicane.
He was forced to climb out of his car and exit the race, with Berger moving up to first. He eventually took the win - Ferrari’s 10th on home soil – with Alboreto making it a one-two for the team. It turned out to be the only race of the 1988 season that wasn’t won by McLaren.
Mansell masters Monza
Mansell secured his first and only Italian Grand Prix win in 1991 after a close battle in the first half of the race between the Williams driver, Senna and his team-mate Riccardo Patrese. Senna started from pole position and maintained his position in the early laps. Mansell was never too far back and Patrese joined them after moving up to third.
He was then waved through by Mansell, as he was clearly faster, and managed to pass Senna on lap 26 at the Ascari chicane. However, a gearbox failure on the following lap caused him to retire. Mansell then took up the fight and passed Senna at the same place eight laps later.
Senna pitted for tyres and dropped back, recovering to second by the chequered flag. Meanwhile Mansell cruised to the win, with Prost’s third-place finish giving Ferrari a presence on the podium. The race was also Michael Schumacher’s second in F1 and first for Benetton, after he left the Jordan team.
360 degree flip
The 1993 Italian Grand Prix, which was won by Damon Hill, ended in dramatic style after Christian Fittipaldi’s Minardi was launched off the back of his team-mate’s right rear wheel on the run to the flag. As he crossed the line, Fittipaldi’s car was pitched into the air and did a full 360 degree flip before landing on its wheels and skidding down the road.
First corner chaos
The first chicane at the Monza circuit is known for causing chaos on lap one. We saw just that in 2011 after a bizarre crash for Vitantonio Liuzzi. The HRT driver lost control under braking for the opening turn and spun across the grass.
As the rest of the field tackled the first apex, Liuzzi’s car returned to the track and speared into Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes and Vitaly Petrov’s Lotus. The safety car was deployed the clear the debris. My photography partner Octane Photographic captured some fantastic images of the contact, see more here.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
For more on the 2014 Italian Grand Prix, be sure to check out my race preview here: http://bit.ly/1qiDEYL
Ferrari wins on home soil
McLaren was expected to dominate the 1988 Italian Grand Prix at Monza and secure yet another race win, but things didn’t go according to plan for the team, gifting the victory to Ferrari.
It was an emotional weekend for the Maranello-based outfit, as the event took place less than a month after the death of the team's fonder Enzo Ferrari. Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto lined up third and fourth on the grid behind the McLaren duo of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
Prost briefly took the lead at the start but an engine misfire caused him to fall back to second. The Frenchman managed to catch up with Senna but just as he did, he was forced to retire and promoted the Ferrari drivers to second and third. Then, with two laps to go, Senna collided with Jean-Louis Schlesser as he attempted to lap the Williams driver, who was replacing the ill Nigel Mansell, at the Rettifilo chicane.
He was forced to climb out of his car and exit the race, with Berger moving up to first. He eventually took the win - Ferrari’s 10th on home soil – with Alboreto making it a one-two for the team. It turned out to be the only race of the 1988 season that wasn’t won by McLaren.
Mansell masters Monza
Mansell secured his first and only Italian Grand Prix win in 1991 after a close battle in the first half of the race between the Williams driver, Senna and his team-mate Riccardo Patrese. Senna started from pole position and maintained his position in the early laps. Mansell was never too far back and Patrese joined them after moving up to third.
He was then waved through by Mansell, as he was clearly faster, and managed to pass Senna on lap 26 at the Ascari chicane. However, a gearbox failure on the following lap caused him to retire. Mansell then took up the fight and passed Senna at the same place eight laps later.
Senna pitted for tyres and dropped back, recovering to second by the chequered flag. Meanwhile Mansell cruised to the win, with Prost’s third-place finish giving Ferrari a presence on the podium. The race was also Michael Schumacher’s second in F1 and first for Benetton, after he left the Jordan team.
360 degree flip
The 1993 Italian Grand Prix, which was won by Damon Hill, ended in dramatic style after Christian Fittipaldi’s Minardi was launched off the back of his team-mate’s right rear wheel on the run to the flag. As he crossed the line, Fittipaldi’s car was pitched into the air and did a full 360 degree flip before landing on its wheels and skidding down the road.
First corner chaos
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
As the rest of the field tackled the first apex, Liuzzi’s car returned to the track and speared into Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes and Vitaly Petrov’s Lotus. The safety car was deployed the clear the debris. My photography partner Octane Photographic captured some fantastic images of the contact, see more here.
No comments:
Post a Comment