The Italian Grand Prix Thread (Montoya wins!)

sgd · Post by **sgd** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 8:15 am

Monza 2005 -> McLaren Hat-Trick!

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 8:28 am

In testing for the GP, Monty set an F1 straight line record of 372.6kph (231mph) The Renaults were considerably slower.
Michael Schumaker is reported in the "Sydney Morning Herald" as saying that ...."unless I win on Sunday, I cannot win the title this year...and we were slow in testing." I guess thats Schuey's way of saying he doesn't think he is going to be World Champion this year.

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 10:02 am

With the round of Italy upcoming, here's a little historical item I thought I'd bring up(heard it during Speed Channel's F1 Decade broadcast of the 1995 Italian GP last week). Maybe I'm wrong about this, but if I'm not mistaken, didn't there used to be an oval-style racetrack built on the grounds there in Monza? Back in the 1950's and early 1960's, many of the F1 racers and their North American counterparts would gather at Monza on the oval(again, if I'm not mistaken) for what was called the Race of All Nations. They told an interesting ancedote about the race.....during the run-up to the race one year, American racer A.J. Foyt, Jr. was deemed "too young" to race then at Monza, and his team had to find a replacement. Well, they did...one Juan Manuel Fangio stepped in to replace Foyt. And then Fangio won that year's race, in Foyt's car, no less.

Hopefully, someone can confirm that there was indeed an oval racetrack there at Monza. If there wasn't, then the Speed Channel F1 broadcast crew needs a refresher course on the history of Monza.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 10:21 am

I don't think it was a full oval. A section of track was banked, making about a half oval. Having posted this, hordes of people will swoop in to correct me, and you will have a definitive answer. ....Ah the sacrifices I make for you guys

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 10:34 am

Could it have been part of an oval-style track connected to the road course, julian?

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 10:41 am

mlittle wrote:Could it have been part of an oval-style track connected to the road course, julian?

As I dimly remember a half oval as part of the road course, and it killed a few.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 10:46 am

Ok if you google "Monza race track" you will find the official "Monzanet" site, it has a fantastic historical section which I am going back to read.

JayVee · Post by **JayVee** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 10:51 am

julian mayo wrote: What on earth leads you to believe that Alonso is going to finish.

The same thing that led me to the fact that a McLaren has not won at Monza since 1997

Byron Forbes · Post by **Byron Forbes** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 10:55 am

That section of the old Monza is still there. There is a major F1 movie featuring that banking too with the old 1.5 litre V8s.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 11:01 am

JayVee wrote:
julian mayo wrote: What on earth leads you to believe that Alonso is going to finish.
The same thing that led me to the fact that a McLaren has not won at Monza since 1997

Good morning, JV...now there you go again, starting arguments by posting FACTS. It just won't do!
There was a time when "man" had not flown, when submarines did not exist,
aspirin was not known, the V8 ute had not been invented, Mr Mayo had yet to meet the woman who became Mrs Mayo, and gave birth to Julian Mayo, who hates being in submarines, owns a V8 ute, has cause to consume the odd aspirin, loves flying and because of studying this historical data, believes that a Mclaren will win this year.

mlittle · Post by **mlittle** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 11:01 am

I thought so. Every year the Speed Channel F1 broadcast team talks about it when they're covering the Italian GP.

Kapel · Post by **Kapel** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 2:06 pm

julian mayo wrote:
JayVee wrote:
julian mayo wrote: What on earth leads you to believe that Alonso is going to finish.
The same thing that led me to the fact that a McLaren has not won at Monza since 1997
Good morning, JV...now there you go again, starting arguments by posting FACTS. It just won't do!
There was a time when "man" had not flown, when submarines did not exist,
aspirin was not known, the V8 ute had not been invented, Mr Mayo had yet to meet the woman who became Mrs Mayo, and gave birth to Julian Mayo, who hates being in submarines, owns a V8 ute, has cause to consume the odd aspirin, loves flying and because of studying this historical data, believes that a Mclaren will win this year.

Now i need a aspirin

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 2:24 pm

Try going out in a submarine. I still have dents in my head

Kapel · Post by **Kapel** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 3:00 pm

julian mayo wrote:Try going out in a submarine. I still have dents in my head

Have u tried using the axe to rectify it

Ah,u must use it on FRED first!!! No spell checks after tht

Graham Ross · Post by **Graham Ross** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 4:05 pm

Montoya will beat Raikkonen here even though his engine will be on its second race. This track is one of his favourites

I doubt that Montoya will let Raikkonen by if by the end of the race he was leading and Raikkonen second.

What happened in Hungary was because Raikkonen was on a very light fuel load