Virgin happy to end European leg at special Monza circuit
The Grands Prix are coming thick and fast now as Formula 1 counts down towards a thrilling climax to the 2010 season. After the teams enjoyed an action-packed race at the legendary Spa circuit last weekend, this week they’re heading to magical Monza - another old-y but good-y, just like Spa, and another firm favourite amongst the drivers.
Monza is steeped in history. The circuit was built in 1922 and since the inception of the World Championship in 1950 it has staged the Italian Grand Prix every year, with the exception of 1980, which makes it one of the oldest - and fastest - tracks on the 2010 calendar. The heritage is palpable at every turn - and so is the presence of the legendary Tifosi, who have motorsport passion oozing from every pore. The 53-lap race is staged at the 5.793km (3.600-mile) Autodromo Nazionale di Monza and marks the end of F1’s European season. The original 45-degree banking at either end of the pit straight has not been used by F1 cars since 1961, but the circuit remains a temple of speed thanks to its four long straights where the cars will reach top speeds of 342kph (213mph) compared with average lap speeds of around 242kph (150mph).
Timo Glock: “It was great to be back racing in Spa after the break and already the pace of the last part of the season has really picked up. I’m looking forward to the next six races as there is going to be a real energy as everyone fights hard to achieve their objectives. We’re no different and we’re pushing very hard to end the season as the best of the new teams. I love racing at Monza. It’s such a great track and I love the history attached to it. The old part of the circuit with the banking is spectacular. But as for the part we run on today, it’s very different to most of the circuits we race at. It is very quick and we run in a very low downforce configuration to get the straight-line speed required for the straights. My favourite part of the track is Ascari, which is good fun. The straight at Parabolica is also good in qualifying when you’re trying to get the maximum out of the car and leave your braking as late as possible.”
Lucas di Grassi: “I feel the same way about racing at Monza next weekend as I did about racing in Spa last race. They are both fantastic, legendary circuits which I have raced at before but the first time round in an F1 car is always going to be extra special. I have done a lot of work in the simulator to prepare and I think we have a good package for this race, so we need to focus on finding a good balance for our low downforce trim. The objective is the same as ever and everything counts now we’re on the home straight to the end of the season.”
John Booth, Team Principal: “It’s hard to believe there are just six Grands Prix remaining. The 2010 race is really on now for all of the teams, as this is where it can all come good or it can all run away from you. From our point of view we need to do the best job possible in every session of every race weekend to achieve our own objectives for our debut season. It is also hard to believe that this is the final European race of the season and the last time we will have the relative comfort and familiarity of our race trucks and motorhome, which have served us well. There can be no better venue to end this leg of the season than Monza however, as this is a truly fantastic circuit. The last race weekend in Spa was a challenging one given the weather conditions and the build up to race day, but I am very pleased with what we have in terms of a race team operation and for that matter the continual improvements we have made in all areas of late.”
Nick Wirth, Technical Director: “The wonderful Monza circuit really is out on its own now in terms of its requirements for an extremely low-downforce setup in comparison to the other tracks. Mechanically, the ability to ride the Monza kerbs is crucial for lap-time as well as having a great engine. We’ve done a nice package for this track and with our season’s mechanical developments plus our strong Cosworth engine, we’re hoping to put on a good show in front of the Tifosi at our final European race of 2010.”
