It’s a pity you can’t reach this place by tube, by the way we advise you against going there by car. (Choose between Garibaldi or Central station and with a 3 euro ticket you will reach Monza station in about 15 minutes. From here get on the bus z221 and in half an hour you will be there!). Thecircuit is always open and you can go in even when it is empty and silent.
You will find yourselves to be inside the beautiful Monza Park – Villa Reale Park – in one of the most famous circuits of the world, together with Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the USA, Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium and Le Mans in France. Every year – since the moment it was completed – people come to Monza to see the F1Italian Grand Prix!
It was built during the summertime dating back to almost 100 years ago, in just 110 days: 3500 workers, 30 trucks and a 5-kilometer railway with 2 locomotives and 80 coaches were involved. It wasn’t finished yet, when the engineer Pietro Bordino and the racer Felice Nazzaro – onboard a Fiat 570 – did their first lap to inaugurate the famous overpass – a high-speed annular circuit that would have provoked – in the years to follow – many deadly accidents.
The most severe one was caused by Emilio Materassi – fallen into oblivion – who crashed into the audience after losing control of his car leading to 30 dead and 40 wounded.
By the way, let’s go beyond these accidents – that unfortunately aren’t so rare – and let’s talk about two champions: the Austrian Ferrari pilot Niki Lauda and the English McLaren pilot James Hunt – two fierce rivals. The English man also known as Hunt the Shunt – both for his foolhardy drive and his life style – was a bad guy and despite his skill he was much criticized.
Lauda – the Austrian – instead was quiet, serious and solitary. He spent the whole day thinking about finding a way to improve his car and win more and more; indeed he always ranked first while Hunt the Shunt – despite his skill – wasn’t able to catch him.
It was 1st August 1976 (your parents were babies) that the power of the competition emerged: at the German Grand Prix Lauda – in a leading position – slammed with his Ferrari into an earth bank, the car started to burst into flames and he was left scarred for life after being miraculously rescued.
He had to say goodbye to the Grand Prix. However – despite his friends and doctors opinion – he returned to the cockpit only 42 days after the accident.
He couldn’t bear Hunt to win and made his racing comeback at Monza. And what a miracle! He finished fourth despite his poor condition. He finally quit to recover coming back for the last race – with a 3-point lead – in Japan, yet he didn’t race due to a flood.
Hunt finished third – enough to win the World Championship
Now that you know the whole story – if you want to benefit from the outdoors jaunt – go and take a stroll throughout Villa Reale park. It will surely be beautiful and safer than a race at 300 km/h!
Look at “Disport in Sport” itinerary or choose your favourite sport and let manoxmano guide you!
FOOTBALL
HORSE-RIDING
GOLF
CYCLING
RUNNING
