Davide Nativo
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The ACI hopes to bring back the iconic section of the track for F1 cars to race in.
Angelo Sticchi Damiani, chairman of the ACI (Automobile Club d'Italia), has just revealed his big plans for the Italian GP in a recent interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport [1]. Discussing the details of the ongoing negotiations with Liberty Media to host the Italian GP in the next few years, he claimed his interest in securing a multi-year deal up until 2022, when Monza will celebrate his 100th anniversary. In that occasion, with Liberty's approval, A. Sticchi Damiani hopes to run the Grand Prix on the full 10 km track, which means not only the road course but also the oval section included with the legendary Sopraelevate! This would be the first time the F1 cars claim back the bankings after 61 years (1961-2022).
Honestly, I am the first to be sceptical about all this, as running on the oval section could prove difficult for many different reasons. First, Formula 1 cars were already no longer fit to run on the bankings almost 60 years ago. Modern F1s can only be even less fit, relying on downforce as they are and reaching very high cornering speeds. Second, the full Monza track always made things hard for mechanics, as you need a setup that compromises between the road course and the oval section. A setup made with just one of the two parts in mind, would prove catastrophic in the other one; while at the same time, going for a compromise means not being able to have a car balanced for either section and in the end very tricky to drive. Third, while the bankings have been recently repaved, their underlying structure is in really bad shape and in need of a complete renovation and overhaul of the framework. Running on the Sopraelevate as they are now, is basically impossible and the FIA would certainly never approve it.
That being said, it would be awesome to see modern F1 cars deal with what is a marvellous piece of engineering, and it could be the stepping stone to recover all those bankings still existing in many circuits of the world (Terramar, Brooklands, Fuji) but no longer used and in shameful decay. We’ll see!
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Notes:
[1] P. Allievi, Monza, Vettel Scalda Monza, La Gazzetta dello Sport, August 29th 2018, p. 32.
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