Monza GP - help an F1 know-nothing

[EskimoArapaho]

About 15 years ago I was a PR guest at a British GP, it was very nice. Haven't been to one since, but by coincidence I'll be close to Monza for this year's Italian GP. The OH and her cousin can go shopping and I can get an earful of these new engines.

But I know nothing about Monza or the current F1 experience.

Any suggestions on where to book a ticket, where to sit/stand, general Monza survival advice, etc?

[woof]

EskimoArapaho said:

About 15 years ago I was a PR guest at a British GP, it was very nice. Haven't been to one since, but by coincidence I'll be close to Monza for this year's Italian GP. The OH and her cousin can go shopping and I can get an earful of these new engines.

But I know nothing about Monza or the current F1 experience.

Any suggestions on where to book a ticket, where to sit/stand, general Monza survival advice, etc?

The food, weather is a lot better
Monza is simply awesome. I was able to wander from stand to stand but I'd say the Rettifino or Ascari and great places to sit. Have a search of this forum as we were only discussing it a few weeks ago.

[slipstream 1985]

loads of wasps,,,

[chevronb37]

EskimoArapaho said:

About 15 years ago I was a PR guest at a British GP, it was very nice. Haven't been to one since, but by coincidence I'll be close to Monza for this year's Italian GP. The OH and her cousin can go shopping and I can get an earful of these new engines.

But I know nothing about Monza or the current F1 experience.

Any suggestions on where to book a ticket, where to sit/stand, general Monza survival advice, etc?

I went in 2012 as part of a wider motor racing road trip. The full account of the weekend is here: http://www.motorcardiaries.co.uk/2012/boys-big-dri...

If you want any further advice just drop me a PM. It's my favourite place to watch motor racing but you'll gather more in the article.

[MogulBoy]

Went in '91 (Schumacher's 2nd race) as a poor student with a general admission ticket and as my first F1 experience, it was awesome. Couldn't see much though as the Tifosi had nabbed all the good spots but we felt close to the action near the timing tower after curva parabolica. What we saw didn't matter that much though as it was all about the sound and in those days, the smells! And we walked the track afterwards. Do they still allow this?

Went back in '97 and sat in the sun on a grandstand on the straight leading down to curva parabolica. It wasn't a great race (Coulthard easy win leading a procession) but what stuck in my mind was how short, in terms of time, GP's are at Monza given the speed <1hr20mins and sitting on a straight makes you dizzy as you snap your head from right to left and back again!

Definitely worth the trouble to see the circuit first hand and sample the atmosphere but not sure if race day is that much better than a test day (other than for the crescendo of the start - esp. if you can get a ticket for the chicane).

[mattshiz]

Yeah they still let you walk the track at Monza after the race. Last year we went general admission, grandstands were free on the friday. Watching the GP2 cars qualifying from the Ascari chicane was interesting as they seemed quite twitchy in their low downforce spec. Also viewed watched from the grandstands on each side of the start finish straight and the entrance to the Parabolica. If I was going to pick a grand stand it would be either the one just before T1 or the Ascari grand stand.

Unlike Belgium where i've been previously, Monza does have miniature grand stands for general admission. For race day we chose to sit/stand on the stand on the exit of Lesmo 2. Not the best views in the world but it does have a TV screen you can see.

On the track walk after the race we got all the way from Lesmo 2 to the turn 1 chicane before the temptation of the old oval took over and instead walked the old oval instead. I would suggest at least checking out the old banking as it is phenominally steep (watch out for the security guards though! What was slightly disappointing was that even though the old oval is there, the rest of the track between the two ovals is just repurposed road/car parks.

This was our view from lesmo 2 on race day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gS7ADK_ClQ and another view from the a different little grandstand on lesmo 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw5TgdWPRXQ

view from ascari: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogji9x0-6fQ

view from turn 1 chicane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKt9LNzfgME

Also worth checking out is a support race start from the inside of lesmo 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5xicYD3X9s unbelievably close to the cars!

I seriously recommend Monza, while Spa is better for the views, Monza is just unbeatable for the atmosphere and gorgeous weather!

[slipstream 1985]

also before you walk up the banking make sure you have gloves and all skin covered up. or you will be ripping it off as you slide/ fall back down. its easier to get up than down...

[CharlesAL]

I went last year, on my own, general admission. Here are the main things I learned:

-Wear a decent pair of shoes. I took some Berghaus walking shoes which were brilliant but I stupidly wore a pair of knackered Converse to the open pitlane on Thursday and was in constant pain for the rest of the weekend.

-I found it so easy to get lost and walk around in circles. I considered myself to have a good sense of direction.

-Try to get to the track early at some point and walk under the track at the grid to the main entrance. I did this on Saturday and caught Lewis, Fernando, Kimi, Romain and Giedo coming in. Lewis and Fernando got out and signed some autographs for a few minutes. Didn't get one but it was a rare chance to get close to some of my driving heroes!



-Open pitlane on Thursday afternoon for weekend ticket holders, well worth going.

I saw action from Variante Rettifilo and all the way from Lesmo to Variante Ascari for FP2, the run down to Parabolica for FP3 and qualifying, and just before Lesmo 2 for the race. I found Ascari by far the best. The noise of the cars going under the old circuit past Curva Serraglio, maxing out and then braking for Ascari was just magical.

[Norfolkit]

CharlesAL said:

-Try to get to the track early at some point and walk under the track at the grid to the main entrance. I did this on Saturday and caught Lewis, Fernando, Kimi, Romain and Giedo coming in. Lewis and Fernando got out and signed some autographs for a few minutes. Didn't get one but it was a rare chance to get close to some of my driving heroes!

We went in that way each day last year, it's the entrance taxis drop off at (Via Enzo Ferrari I think and the Pit Stop Bar is at the top of the road, good for a post race drink), we just got pictures of Christian Horner.



We sat in the grandstand at the exit of Parabolica (inside of the track), good view but boy was it hot (no roof).
Brilliant atmosphere, not just at the track but in Monza itself which is actually quite an elegant town not the industrial suburb of Milan that I always thought it was.

[EskimoArapaho]

Thanks all - lots to follow up here.

Am I right in believing that all tickets for grandstands will guarantee a view? Whereas the general admission tickets might not?

[CharlesAL]

I can't speak for every part of the circuit but I would expect you would get a view of the track somewhere, you might have to walk around a bit to find one.

Where I was at Lesmo 2 I got there at 8am and the GA seats were all empty, but by the time the race started you would not have got a decent view as there were people all along the fence.

Definitely don't hang around on Sunday if you go GA, get to the track and get a space.

Edited by CharlesAL on Tuesday 18th February 20:29

[paulyv]

My first time to Monza this year also. As there are several of us going we were planning on a taxi from Milan come race day. Cost aside is it viable?

Thanks

Pauly

[woof]

paulyv said:

My first time to Monza this year also. As there are several of us going we were planning on a taxi from Milan come race day. Cost aside is it viable?

Thanks

Pauly

Roads were remarkable easy when I went 2 years. We had a car pick us up from Milan and I'm sure we were in the circuit within an hour. But we had passes to take us straight in. I'm not sure where a taxi would drop you off - or harder still pick you up. I'm told the easiest way is to get the train. Takes you straight there

[Norfolkit]

paulyv said:

My first time to Monza this year also. As there are several of us going we were planning on a taxi from Milan come race day. Cost aside is it viable?

Thanks

Pauly

Train would be a lot cheaper if you're anywhere near the station(s) in Milan, frequent and quick. Free shuttle buses (do some sardine practice first) from Monza station to the track on practice and race day or catch the local bus (#221)from outside the station next to the fountain (more sardine time) or grab a cab (last year 30 Eurothings for 4 people). You could walk to the track from the station in under an hour.

[mattshiz]

Parking is a breeze at Monza as long as you don't mind a little walk and get there early. We managed to easily get free street parking on both the Saturday and Sunday. Walk in was about 30 mins but I think even the train requires a walk as it is in the middle of a park!

My friend managed to get his hat signed by Fernando Alonso on the Saturday! If you hang around for a little while after the GP3 race on the Saturday evening you can see most the drivers make their way out of the circuit... very slowly mind!

[Panda76]

Try and get on track for the podium celebrations, the atmosphere is great. Very busy mind.

[Panda76]

[CharlesAL]

I got a taxi from Stazione Centrale on the Friday, €50 euros and we got dropped off somewhere in town and walked the rest of the way because the traffic was so bad.

[EskimoArapaho]

Thanks for the links, videos and info. Very informative, and the write-up is very evocative. I'll only be going on the Sunday though (can't justify spending 3 out of our 14 days there).

I think a General Admission ticket with a seat cushion (in a backpack with plenty of water and some decent grub plus hat and sunnies) should do me fine. Try to be close enough to the Start/Finish straight at the end of the race to get near the podium (which is I suppose everyone's plan).

I might be driving there, so I'll search for places to park up that (hopefully) avoid congestion. Perhaps Lissone (West) or a bus/train stop a bit further North?

[paulyv]

CharlesAL said:

I got a taxi from Stazione Centrale on the Friday, €50 euros and we got dropped off somewhere in town and walked the rest of the way because the traffic was so bad.

Sounds about right. Race day I intend to avoid the crowds prior to the track as much as possible, spoiled little so-and-so that I am.

Thanks.