Italian Grand Prix - Anybody been?

Italian Grand Prix - Anybody been?

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Progressive

Original Poster:

1,288 posts

195 months

Tuesday 11th July 2017
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I will be nearby for this year's Italian Grand Prix (Monza, 1st - 3rd September). Has anyone been before? Good weekend? Relatively flexible whether I go for qualifying day, race day or both. A ticket for both days isn't much more than the race day only (110eu vs. 95eu).

Cheers!

WelshChris

1,189 posts

260 months

Tuesday 11th July 2017
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Good thread here:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Fantastic place - steeped in history, all of which is so evident. Just do it - it's one of those places that's simply a must-visit.

pauloroberto

239 posts

157 months

Tuesday 11th July 2017
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I went to Monza and had a great time. Even though I'm an F1 fan, I found qualifying pretty dull, but the race day was great. Easy to get to and from Milan on the train.

Bristol spark

4,397 posts

189 months

Tuesday 11th July 2017
quotequote all
Went in 2015 and was great. Worth getting early as the GP2/3/porche's are a good watch.

Was a very well organised park/shuttle service.

The actual track site is massive, i got lost many times. TBH the signage want great.

Track is opened up after the race and you can walk about it.

As per most tracks food/beer have big que's. And you have to work out the "token" system.

Its a very nice drive to head straight for south france, then from Monaco following the coast to Italy.

Couple of awful quality photo's:







Norfolkit

2,394 posts

196 months

Tuesday 11th July 2017
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Been twice 2012/3, it's a brilliant weekend, weather usually helps too. Seems to attract a lot of former drivers (being the last race in Europe) so worth keeping your camera handy.
Not sure where your tickets are but if they're anywhere near the pit straight make sure you join in the track invasion at the end, they open the gates in the debris fencing but most people go over the top and it looks a long way down from the top, last time we were there I was dithering about jumping from the top and a massively fat Italian guy shouted "jump, I catch", I jumped, he caught me, it's that kind of atmosphere.
On practice day make sure you go for a walk on the old banking (access from the infield between the first chicane and Ascari, don't think you can get on at the Parabolica end of the track), officially it's not allowed but if you ask one of the stewards on there they'll almost always say yes.
Hang around on Via Enzo Ferrari after the race, soaking up the atmosphere and have a few drinks and buy tee shirts.

If I could only visit one track it would be Monza.

lucido grigio

44,044 posts

169 months

Tuesday 11th July 2017
quotequote all
As is said in the thread linked up there ^^ ,I went in 2008 ,when it rained.

I paid 50E for an umbrella ,which is now broken.

It was when the euro wasn't worth almost the same as sterling but still a stupid amount for a crap McLaren brolly.

dazjstuart

32 posts

153 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
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I went last year and had a cracking time. The atmosphere was brilliant, everyone having a great time, very friendly fans of all persuasion. I went on the Thursday evening for the pit walk too which was intense!

The track itself is in a massive park, im sure I read somewhere that monza park is one of if not the biggest urban parks in Europe. A few of the other posters have said transport is easy, I wouldn't say that, it's very chaotic, charmingly Italian but it works, no one really knows what's going on but as the weekend went on your learned from speaking to others the best way to get around. Regardless of what you do it's at least a half hour walk to your seats from wherever you get dropped off so wear something decent on your feet. But the park itself is lovely to walk around, it's very evocative strolling through the trees and you stumble upon a huge slightly rusting grandstand.

Defiantly get on the banking, it's mental how steep it is! They don't let you on during the Friday while there's cars on the track, by that there's no one stopping you but you'll get chased off when they see you. You can get on at the ascari end after the race, you can get on the whole track actually, loads of folk were walking and biking round both the main track and the banking. At the parabolica end you get on the first bit but then there's a fence that was guarded, there didn't seem to be any holes in the perimeter fence to get through either unlike at the ascari end. You could go right the way round I'm sure but the "back straight" of the banking is full of trucks and what looks like bits of grandstand.

Top tip would be, if it's practical for you take a bicycle. Sooo many of the locals seem to bike, there were literally hundreds of bikes chained up at the back of the grandstands, and biking right round the track would be fantastic I'm sure.

esso

1,849 posts

223 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
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I went in 2008 and as someone above said,it rained.We stayed in Milan and got a train to the circuit but its a fair walk through the park to the circuit.Great track.though and good atmosphere.

rallycross

13,212 posts

243 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
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Take the train.

It's well worth taking a walk round the track on race day, even with a grandstand seat still go for a walk and you will find some good viewing points.

Dan_1981

17,507 posts

205 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
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Very very easy to do.

Train from Milan.

Park is a big old walk around though.

Great atmosphere.

You can walk pretty much everywhere. It's very high speed tho and with GA tickets I didn't think viewing was as good as Spa.

Miles better than Silverstone tho.

Milan was dissapointing tho

hairyben

8,516 posts

189 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
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Ask me again in 3 days....woohoo

Vaud

51,821 posts

161 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
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Dan_1981 said:
Very very easy to do.

Train from Milan.

Park is a big old walk around though.

Great atmosphere.

You can walk pretty much everywhere. It's very high speed tho and with GA tickets I didn't think viewing was as good as Spa.

Miles better than Silverstone tho.

Milan was dissapointing tho
^^^ this.

Don't forget coffee at a local place on the way in. Wonderful fans.

In 2009 I ended up sharing race info from the Kangoo TV in broken Italian/French/hand gestures with a local family who kept giving me food and prosecco. All in the GA bleachers.