Any tip and info to a Monza visitor?

[MickeK]

Hi all!



Communications breakdown (you know that Zep-song?) was a result of keyboard problems. A couple of keys didn't generate chars. Sorry to break the illusion of 'beeing there' by this, but I just did not have the patience to write stories with the screen keyboard . Guess the laptop keyboard didn't like all the rain... And it rained for sure.

Home again (did Venice and Vienne on my way back) and will try to sum my Monza experience up somehow. Even if the race is history by now. Perhaps my it might be useful for someone sometime .

All forecasts prepared us for a wet friday. As you already know that wasn't the case. Skies opened saturday instead. In fact it started late friday night and went on more or less for 24 hours! Just couldn't believe it. Couldn't bring my big lens as planned and risk the health of my photo equipment. Stayed in the tent to the last moment and came to the track some hour before Q1. No parking problems close to the track this day! Still raining. At Parabolica, just before the main straight, there are some 100 stands for Prato ticket. Found a spot there at the fence, very close to where the cars pass when going to the pits. To prepare the stress on race day my plan was to find me a good spot to aim for on sunday.

Dispite the wetness it was intersting to see the cars racing in those conditions but it lasted until the red flag a couple of minutes in. From that 15 minutes delays til the actual start more than three hours later!!! You have to be stubbard and patient and stay put. All those hours hanging at the fence with a cheap rain cap covering me. Now and then checking the weather conditions. Just as we thought it would stop it increased again. I guess you had a better time at home - if you ever lasted til the start of Q1 around 17pm. Well, at least there was no more water left in the skies so we had a very warm and sunny sunday instead. If you stayed at the TV it was quite a dramatic Q3, more excitement in that than in the actual race perhaps . It was chilly and wet and reasons to expect cancelled Q - but at last you get home (to a tent) and at last (in the evening) the rain stops.

Sunday was warm and sunny. The alarm was set to 5.30 am as I was adviced to be at track 8.00 to be able to get that spot for the day. Totally crazy morning as I hadn't checked with the camping gates. Naturally they where closed at this early hour and the rest of the camp seemed to sleep. Except from a couple of dutch fans that saved me there. Then the next backlash as I just checked the camera when I was on my way. Had forgot to put the charged battery in!!! Hesitated there for a while. But I just couldn't bare not beong able to take photos on race day so I turned. Was around 15 km to get back, climb over the camping fence to get the battery and then a departure around an hour later than planned... I can laugh at it now, but it wasn't the best of mornings.

So I was quite happy that despite a late arrival around 9 there was a free spot where I was during the Q. Found an english father and son and we could help each other the rest of the day to hold our reservations. Well, you have to eat and leak even at the races. The show was F3-race, F2-race, Porsche-race and then a different F1 drivers presentation. Not the usual truck driving a lap. Instead a lot of old sportscars (many Ferraris), one for each driver. Really nice. Then a lot of long legged ladies with signs walked by. Then the race started... Not of any interest to inform you around that. It was rather obvious to us that the Mercedes was too fast for anyone else. A lot of Italians (you have to be there to understand the Ferrari religion) changed mood from happy to less. I can imagine what would be the case with a red car in front.

From my spot it was easy to get to the tribune after the race. The guards tried to stop those trying to jump before all cars was back in the pits... ...but soon enough it was just to run out on the track and run to get a new spot. Vettel was celebrated as a winner. Lots of crazy fans. I was under the big Ferrari tifo flag.

A great weekend if I try to forget the wet hours. To be there, feel the athmosphere, see all parts of the track, climb on the old bankings and all. Got a lot of photos to edit and let's see if I later can publish some here.

Did I forget anything? Just ask. I almost forgot what my orignial posting was about. The task of where to park and all that. I didn't know anything about the surroundings before and found it more safe to go for the official parkings with shuttles - even if it seemed a bit time consuming. Didn't that at all. First day I just checked where one of those parkings was situated. Thursday I parked at the track camping for 10 Euros. Friday I checked the backstreets directly west to the track. No problems to find a free parking and walk 1 km. Took the same spot saturday (but the rain stopped many from going there) and even on sunday (despite my later arrival) I could park there around 8.30. So a total parking fee of 10 Euros. But you have to be on time. On race day the traffic was heavy.

One thing to say though is that a lot of traffic is re-arranged racing day and a lot of streets closed. Many small streets and a lot of small rondellas before you're close to the track and if you come late I guess you'll spend a lot of time in your own car.


So this was my final report, delayed with a couple of weeks but did at least give you the last details. Post any questions if you have any.