HONDA The Power of Dreams

The Italian Grand Prix was first held in 1921 and became part of the inaugural Formula 1® World Championship calendar in 1950. Since then, it has been held every year, making it one of the most historic and enduring events in F1.

The race has been staged almost exclusively at the Monza Circuit (Autodromo Nazionale Monza), located within the Monza National Park in northern Italy.

Italy is also home to another famous circuit, Imola (Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari). In 1980, while Monza underwent renovations, the Italian Grand Prix was held at Imola. From 1981 to 2006, Imola hosted the San Marino Grand Prix, and from 2020 to 2025 it hosted the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, maintaining the tradition of one F1 race per country.

Originally, racing at Monza took place on a 10 km layout combining a 5.5 km road course with a 4.5 km oval. Concerns over safety led to major modifications in 1938, when use of the oval was abandoned and part of it was incorporated into a revised 6.3 km road course.

A further redevelopment in 1955 restored the combined road-and-oval configuration. The newly constructed banking reached gradients of nearly 80 percent (approximately 38 degrees), creating one of the most dramatic racing venues in the world. However, the layout proved extremely dangerous, and following several serious accidents the oval was permanently retired from competitive use.

The 5.75 km road course created during the 1955 redevelopment became the foundation of the modern Monza circuit. Through the 1970s and into the 2000s, additional modifications—including the introduction of chicanes to improve safety and reduce speeds—gradually produced the layout used today.

Even without the oval, Monza remains synonymous with outright speed. The remnants of the historic banking still stand within the circuit grounds as a reminder of its unique past.

Set within a vast public park, Monza is also famous for the passionate support of Ferrari’s loyal fans, known as the Tifosi. Their enthusiasm creates an atmosphere unlike any other, making the Italian Grand Prix one of F1’s most iconic and emotional events.

Monza’s reputation as F1’s “Temple of Speed” is built on its long straights and low-downforce configuration. The main straight stretches approximately 1.2 km, allowing cars to exceed 350 km/h. In qualifying, the strategic use of slipstreaming often plays a decisive role, highlighting the importance of teamwork and racecraft even before the race begins.

The first major braking zone comes at the Variante del Rettifilo chicane, the circuit’s primary overtaking opportunity. Drivers decelerate from top speed into a tight left-right sequence, creating one of the most dramatic braking challenges on the calendar.

After a sweeping right-hander, the lap continues to the second chicane, Variante della Roggia. Another overtaking opportunity, it requires drivers to aggressively attack the curbs while maintaining momentum.

Turns 6 and 7, known as Lesmo 1 and Lesmo 2, are fast corners that demand precision on entry and strong traction on exit. Carrying speed through the Lesmos is crucial for maximizing performance on the following straight.

The circuit then leads into the Ascari Chicane, a fast left-right-left sequence where precision is essential. Any mistake compromises speed all the way to the final corner.

Drivers then accelerate toward Monza’s most famous turn, Parabolica. This ultra-fast corner tests the balance between aerodynamic efficiency and downforce while also determining top speed onto the main straight and opportunities to attack into Turn 1.

In 2021, Parabolica was officially renamed Curva Alboreto in honor of Italian racing legend Michele Alboreto.

Monza holds many special memories for Honda, but two races stand out above all others.

The first came in 1988, when McLaren Honda dominated the season with 15 victories from 16 races. At the Italian Grand Prix, Round 12 of the championship, Ayrton Senna secured his tenth pole position of the season, with teammate Alain Prost qualifying second to give McLaren Honda its eighth front-row lockout of the year.

Although Prost briefly took the lead at the start, Senna quickly reclaimed first place, and the race appeared set to follow the familiar pattern of McLaren Honda dominance. However, Prost retired with mechanical problems, leaving Senna to fend off Ferrari’s Gerhard Berger while managing fuel consumption.

With only two laps remaining, victory seemed certain. Then, at the first chicane, Senna collided with a backmarker while attempting to lap the car, spun off, and retired. The result stunned the F1 world and ended McLaren Honda’s remarkable winning streak.

The second unforgettable race came in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Italian Grand Prix was held behind closed doors as Round 8 of the championship.

That year, AlphaTauri—formerly Toro Rosso—continued to use Honda power units with Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat as its drivers. The race unfolded chaotically, featuring Safety Cars, penalties, and multiple incidents that eliminated many frontrunners.

Starting from tenth on the grid, Gasly benefited from perfectly timed pit stops and strong strategy. He moved into the lead during the second half of the race and successfully held off the pursuing field to secure his maiden F1 victory.

The triumph came exactly 50 races after Honda’s partnership with the team had begun during its Toro Rosso era. For Honda, it was a particularly emotional victory, achieved with a team that had offered support during one of the most challenging periods of Honda’s Formula 1® return.

Fastest pole position lap

1 min 18.792s
Max Verstappen (Red Bull, 2025)

Fastest Honda qualifying lap

1 min 18.792s
Max Verstappen (Red Bull, 2025, Pole Position)

Fastest race lap

1 min 20.901s
Lando Norris (McLaren, 2025)

Fastest Honda race lap

1 min 21.003s
Max Verstappen (Red Bull, 2025)

* Statistics based on the current 5.793 km circuit layout.