"Historic" Monza Banking

[philipbain]

Why is it that whenever F1 goes to monza they (usually TV presenters, commentators and ex-driver muppets, err, sorry, pundits) are always talking about the "Historic" Monza banking? The banking is a curiosity for sure and the fact that its been disused for the last 43 years (the last race to use it was a 1000km sportscar race in 1969) and left to rot away gently gives it a rustic appearance, the truth of the matter is that the banking is actually one of the newest parts of the track, the only parts that are newer are the chicanes! The banking was built in 1955 and whilst its true that a banked circuit featured in the original layout in the 1920s, this original banking was shallower and had been decommissioned and dismantled by the 1940s due to safety concerns. The parts of the track that existed in 1950 when the World Championship made it's first visit that are still used today are the pits straight, curve grande, the Lesmos (though Lesmo 2 was reprofiled in 1997 to slow it down), the straight down to Ascari and the back straight that these days leads to Parabolica. Parabolica it's self wasnt part of this layout, instead the straight went straight on, beyond where the banking now is into a sharp right hander followed by a very short straight into a less sharp but just as abrupt right hander leading onto the start/finish straight. If you look at the News Reel footage of these early 50's Italian GPs (search Youtube) you can clearly see that the start finished straight is much longer and both the Parabolica and the banking simply don't exist! Also if you look at Monza today you can see that going onto the pits stright there are 3 roads coming onto it, looking back at the final corner from the Start / Finish line the left most is obviously Parabolica, then you have the banking and to the right of that is the remains of the pre-1955 straight that linked the pit area to the old last turn. The fact of the matter is that the banking was a bit of a white elephant, seldom used and abandoned for good just 14 years after it's completion, but its main legacy today is that the building of the banking forced the circuit owners into creating a new last corner, and the magnificant Parabolica was built at a same time.

On Google Maps you can clearly see what remains of the old longer start finish straight coming in to the left of the Banking and Parabolica: Monza Grand Prix, Monza, Italy - Google Maps

[Rollo]

I think that it should be resotred and run in the "double circuit" configuration as per something akin to this but with the modern chicanes in place:



You could run a 1000km touring car race there I'm sure. Maybe run it for DTM cars or something.

[D-Type]

One reason the combined circuit didn't work was because the banking was bumpy. If you make the springing stiff enough to prevent bottoming or , it's too stiff for the road circuit and you need a lot of suspension travel. Given the limited suspension travel and reliance on aerodynamic grip that they have, it would be totally impossible with today's cars, both open wheelers and sports prototypes or GTP if you prefer. Even DTM touring cars wouldn't be able to handle the different conditions either. Possibly rally cars could. The Dakar cars could as they have so much suspension travel, but their cornering speeds on the road circuit would be low and this would detract from the spectacle. At least modern tyres wouldn't throw treads. As the structural condition of the banking has deteriorated it would need total re-building before it can be used for anything - even record breaking.

As you say, what history does the banking really have? The only GPs were in 1955, 1956, 1960 and 1961, of which only the 1956 race is at all memorable. The "Two Worlds" races of 1957 and 1958 which were a flop because of the lack of any real European opposition. OK, the Ecurie Ecosse Jaguars in 1957 and the Ferrari 'bitzas' in 1958 meant the Europeans weren't disgraced but the performance wasn't exactly stellar. And I can't recall anything about the 1000km races that used the banking.

Perhaps the answer is to forget the "historic monument" status of the banking and demolish it. Then the green lobby could expend some energy landscaping the rubble and planting trees in Monza Park instead of trying to get the circuit closed.

[wedge]

I think the banking should be preserved. It's part of Monza's history. Without it Monza would be naked.

The old Fuji banking is still accessible to the wayward pedestrian, Brooklands has become a museum with part of the banking still in existence.

Other than that, I completely agree with you D-Type.

The oval was of its time. Speaking as a NASCAR fan the oval shouldn't even be used for racing at all - just as Daytona and Talladega were of its time where high banked corners all the way round was essential.

A serious amount of money would be needed to renovate and update it for speed trials/exhibition runs, not to mention red tape via enviro-mentalists.

[Don Capps]

The design chosen for the banking was based upon the amount of time and funding necessary to build it -- which resulted in the method used. By using the combination of an above ground design and concrete slabs, problems were inevitable once settling of the structure set in within a relatively short time. It was yet another example of if you want it bad, you get it bad. Had they decided to use a different approach, along the lines that speedways were to be built in the US, then most of the problems could have been avoided. That, however, would have required more funding and a much longer period needed for construction.

In the end, it was a nice idea poorly executed.

[BDunnell]

Why is it that whenever F1 goes to monza they (usually TV presenters, commentators and ex-driver muppets, err, sorry, pundits) are always talking about the "Historic" Monza banking?

Well, it is by definition 'historic', surely, in as much as it now belongs to history?

Regarding the banking's preservation, I am somewhat in two minds. It would, of course, be a shame were it to be lost, and there is something strangely evocative about the glimpses one gets of it, but I can see little value in doing any more to conserve it than is currently the case, given that it can hardly be used for anything.

[philipbain]

Well, it is by definition 'historic', surely, in as much as it now belongs to history?

My point was that it's less historic than the majority of the rest of the track! I don't think it should be restored either, just let it rot away gently!