A year between visits to Italy’s historic Autodromo Nazionale Monza always feels like way too long.

The smell of pizza and pasta wafting through the air, the feverish Italian fanbase and the circuit’s long straights and high-speed corners combine to make one of Formula 1’s most beloved circuits.

Ahead of this weekend’s race, we asked Lando, Oscar, and Team Principal Andrea Stella why they love the Italian Grand Prix, and we have compiled a guide for the race, including information on the circuit itself and an explanation of another tricky F1 term. We’ve also written up some tips on what to wear and a reminder of what happened in our last race, the Dutch Grand Prix.

“I’m excited to be going to Monza as a two-time Grand Prix winner. It was a great way to start the second part of the 2024 season, and we’ll hopefully carry this momentum into this weekend as we look to continue closing the Championship gaps.

“This is a track I’ve done well at in the past. It’s also the fastest circuit on the calendar, which makes it all the more fun. We’ve done our preparations and we’ve gone over what we could do even better to ensure more wins in the future. Now we’ve got our heads down and we’re ready to bring in another set of good points for the team.”

“The team returned strongly last week, and now we’re ready to do it all again this weekend in Monza. We’ve gone over our learnings from Zandvoort to see what we can take through to this weekend as we have a very quick car, which makes it even more exciting.

“I’ve raced in Monza a few times in the junior series, and it’s one a lot of us enjoy due to how fast it is. I’m very much looking forward to racing in front of the Italian fans once again as it brings such a good atmosphere. We have a great opportunity to finish the double header in the best way possible.”

“After an incredibly strong result from Lando and Oscar in Zandvoort, we now immediately turn our attention to the upcoming race weekend. The Italian Grand Prix is one of the most awaited races on the calendar.

“The team have built and delivered a car that is proving to be extremely competitive. We have everything in place to perform well, but we need to make sure we remain grounded and consistently improve to put us in the best position to keep fighting for wins and podiums. We know this won’t be easy, but we are extremely motivated for the remaining races of the season.”

Track insights

It’s fast. Really, really fast. Formula 1’s fastest recorded lap was set around the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in 2004 by Juan Pablo Montoya, then of Williams. But it isn’t only the 1.1km-long main straight that allows for high speeds - 80% of the lap is spent at full throttle thanks to multiple high-speed corners.

It also isn’t all about speed. Performance is vital in Monza. Those with more power are able to gain time in the corners by running with more downforce. They’ll do that by stripping back their cars and using skinnier rear wings to remove drag.

Crucial seconds can also be found in the circuit’s chicanes by those with more brake stability, as cars slow from around 220mph, so being able to brake later and accelerate quicker can be a performance differential. You’ll also see plenty of kerb riding as drivers look to carry as much speed onto the straights as possible.

There are several overtaking spots around the circuit, including at Parabolica, one of F1’s favourite corners. The long-right hander can be found at the very end of the circuit and is great for lining up a DRS-fuelled move down the main straight and into the first chicane. Very often, the fighting will continue through the next two turns, Curva Granda and Variante della Roggia, as slipstreaming keeps the cars close.

The season so far

Another win, of course! Lando and Oscar continued our championship charge by picking up the most points of any team with 38. Lando and Oscar put on a brilliant drive to finish first and fourth, maximising the performance of the MCL38’s latest upgrades, courtesy of our hard-working team back at base.

Their results mean we are now just 30 points behind first place in the Constructors’ Championship. Meanwhile, Lando is second in the Drivers’ standings, 70 points off first and Oscar is fourth, 13 points off third.

F1 translations: Slipstreaming

F1 is full of specialist slang and complicated jargon that can stump even the most avid of fans, which is why we’ll be explaining common F1 terminology ahead of each grand prix this season. This week, it’s slipstreaming.

Slipstreaming is particularly pertinent in Monza. You’ll often see cars banding together in Qualifying to set faster lap times. So, what is it, and how does it work?

A slipstream is created when one car slots in behind another. A trailing car can gain extra speed by positioning itself directly behind the lead car at the right distance. This reduces drag over the car by creating a partial vacuum, in which there is less air resistance to battle against. There is a sweet spot for slipstreaming effectively: if you’re too far away, you lose time on the straights, but if you’re too close, you lose time in the corners.

When achieved effectively in the straights, the trailing car can use this extra hit of speed to slingshot (overtake) the car in front of them. Sometimes this might be two teammates working together to achieve a faster lap time in Qualifying - known as a tow - or it could be two battling cars during the race.

Slipstreaming is most pronounced on high-speed circuits with long straights and fast corners, such as Monza, where they have more time to follow the leading car and gain speed, and spend less time braking to slow down.

F1 icebreaker

Stuck for conversation with your F1-loving friends? Spark up a discussion with our F1 icebreaker…

Formula 1’s quickest Grand Prix took place in Monza. The 2003 Italian Grand Prix is the shortest race to reach full distance, lasting only 74 minutes.

The fit: Casual but classy

Seeing as we’re hanging out close to Milan, one of the world’s foremost fashion capitals, there’s a lot of pressure on this weekend’s suggested fit. For this weekend only, we’d suggest straying away from anything too risky, instead opting for something casual but classy.

Start by pairing some loose Levi’s jeans with a pair of plain white K-Swiss trainers, and build up your outfit from there. We’d compliment that with a Core Essentials T-Shirt and, if the weather turns cold, a matching hoodie. To finish off the look, you’ll want a New Era cap, such as the recently released Graphic Patch 9Forty in teal or the E-Frame Trucker in black.