Monza weekend in F1

[Tim Henson]

I stumbled onto some interesting quick facts that related to the Monza track where F1 will be racing this weekend. Not sure how many followers of F1 there are amongst us, but I think it is interesting. I remember alot of these but didn't know about some of these facts. I love this track and hope to go watch a Formula1 race there someday...
--Tim

- Double world champion Alberto Ascari was killed at Monza in 1955, driving a Ferrari sportscar. The corner that claimed his life now bears his name

- Peter Collins was on course to win the world championship at Monza in 1956 but was forced to hand over his car to Lancia team leader Juan Manuel Fangio 15 laps from the end. The Argentine went on to finish second and take the title.

- Phil Hill became the first American to win a world championship grand prix after taking victory for Ferrari in 1960 at Monza. He clinched the championship at the circuit a year later in tragic circumstances when team-mate and title rival Wolfgang Von Trips was killed.

- Jochen Rindt was killed in practice for the 1970 race. The Austrian, who was managed by Bernie Ecclestone, subsequently became F1’s first posthumous world champion.

- One of the closest finishes in grand prix history took place at Monza in 1971, when Peter Gethin beat Ronnie Peterson to the flag by 0.01s as five cars waged an epic slipstreaming battle to the flag.

- Niki Lauda returned to the cockpit at Monza in 1976, just six weeks after his life-threatening accident at the Nurburgring. Incredibly, he finished fourth.

- Super Swede Ronnie Peterson was the king of Monza in the mid-Seventies taking victory in the race in 1973, 1974 and 1976. Tragically he died after crashing at start of the 1978 Italian Grand Prix.

- Monza has hosted the two fastest races in F1 history. Gethin's 1971 victory held the honour at 151.6mph, until Michael Schumacher averaged 153.875mph in 2003.

- Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto took an emotional 1-2 for Ferrari at the 1988 Italian GP, just weeks after the death of the team's legendary founder Enzo. It was the only race all season that McLaren failed to win.

- Michael Schumacher made his debut for Benetton in the 1991 Italian Grand Prix. Schumacher went on to win two world championships and 19 races for the team.

- Mika Hakkinen was famously filmed crying in the bushes after crashing out of the 1999 race. The Finn, who also threw his glove to the floor in disgust, thought he had blown his championship chances but recovered to take his second consecutive title.

- A year later it was Michael Schumacher who turned on the waterworks. He burst into tears on being told that his 2000 victory meant he had equalled Ayrton Senna’s tally of race victories.

- The 2001 event took place in muted circumstances just days after the terrorist atrocities of September 11. The Ferraris ran with black nosecones and without sponsorship as a mark of respect to the victims. The race was won by Juan Pablo Montoya, his maiden F1 triumph.

- Rubens Barrichello recorded the fastest ever pole position lap at Monza in 2004 when he lapped in 1m20.089s, 161.820mph.

- But in the pre-qualifying session for the same race (which did not count for a grid position but only Q-running order), Juan Pablo Montoya lapped the track in 1m19.525s (162.968mph) which remains the fastest lap ever recorded in an F1 car.

- The Italian GP remains one of only five on the current calendar that Fernando Alonso has yet to win. He retired with a huge engine failure for Renault last year.

- Indeed none of the four title contenders have yet to win at Monza.

[S.Charlie Gog]

Pretty cool facts..good find Tim

[TimCollier]

Thanks Tim....I love history!

[Mike Tyler]

Great stuff. Thanks Tim.

Here's a couple of more tibits...

- The other driver who was involved in the accident that killed Wolfgang Von Trips was Jim Clark. While attempting to lap Clark at Parabolica their wheels locked and Von Trips was thrown from the car, and the car itself was thrown into a crowd of spectators killing 15 people.

- In 1967 Jim Clark was leading the race handily until he cut a tire. So he was forced to pull into the pits to change the tire, but while they were changing the tire they decided to add more fuel, however the amount of fuel to be added was overridden at the last minute by Colin Chapman, who decided that Clark didn't need that much fuel.

When Clark returned to the race he was 15th and a lap down to the leader, Brabham, but by the end of the race he had not only driven his lap back, but also taken the lead and was all but assured of winning the race as he crossed the line to begin the final lap of the race. However... he ran out of fuel about halfway around. This lead to a continuation of a race-long drafting duel that had taken place between Brabham and Surtees.

Heading into Parabolica, Brabham pulled out to take the lead from Surtees, but slid wide on cement dust that had been laid down to soak up an oil spill from earlier in the race and by the time they exited the corner Surtees was ahead once more. Although Brabham made a last second attempt to draft past the Surtees, surtees took the win by what was until the 1971 race, the closest finish ever recorded in F1. It was also a major victory for Honda because Surtees car, the RA300, had made it's debut at the event and won it's maiden race.

- And in another Colin Champman moment; Insiders generally attributed Jochen Rindt's death to some last-minute tinkering by Chapman who had order a reduction in the wing angle on Rindt's car in an attempt to better Rindt's lap times during qualifying. However the reduced wing angle affected the braking characteristics of the car and as Rindt slowed for Parabolica he lost control of the car under braking. After going off track the nose of his car went under the barriers and cut his throat killing him instantly.

Rindt's manager at the time was....

Bernie Ecelstone.

[Mike Tyler]

Check out #3 and #5.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2006/06/2...videos-part-x/

[Tim Henson]

Very interesting stuff guys, I like all of the stories relating to F1. Drivers were really taking risk when they climbed into the cars 40 or so years back.

-Tim