motor sports

The fastest track in Formula 1. It's known colloquially as 'La Pista Magica', and with good reason: the atmosphere is second to none. The old banking, lying adjacent to the modern racetrack, gives the circuit a sense of history that can't be found anywhere else in the world and the Italian fans are passionate at F1 and Ferrari in particular. The cars exceed 320kph at four different points on the lap, so the combination of straight-line speed and braking stability is the Holy Grail for race engineers and drivers. Monza marks a real return to power track territory. The 5.793km circuit in the Old Royal Park is one of the few remaining high speed tracks on the calendar and so requires the lowest downforce arrangement seen all year. Monza's chicanes and four key corners, however, also demand a balancing aerodynamic efficiency to ensure a smooth transition over the harsh kerbs. A traditional power track, engines are put through their paces over the weekend as they consistently reach speeds of 340kph and endure a full throttle ratio of 73% per lap. With such high top speeds, and an average lap speed of 250kph, extensive loads are exerted on the brakes during each braking event. Turn one, for example, sees drivers brake so hard into the corner, they experience 5g. Accordingly, brake durability is crucial while a car's stability under braking is also important at Monza where the track surface is notoriously bumpy.