Honda gearing up for F1 Italian GP at Monza

Round 14 of the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship takes the Honda Racing F1 Team to the outskirts of Milan for the Italian Grand Prix. The 53-lap race is staged at the 5.793km (3.600-mile) Autodromo Nazionale di Monza and marks the end of F1’s European season.

Monza is the oldest and fastest track on this year’s calendar. The circuit was built in 1922 and since the inception of the World Championship in 1950 has staged the Italian Grand Prix every year with the exception of 1980. The original 45-degree banking at either end of the pit straight has not been used by F1 cars since 1961, but the circuit remains a temple of speed, with four long straights where the cars will reach top speeds of 340kph (211mph). Average lap speeds are expected to be in excess of 250kph (155mph).

Honda F1 team boss Ross Brawn explains the team's preparations for the fastest circuit on the Formula 1 calender:

“Monza is the only circuit on the calendar which requires such a low downforce set-up,” says Ross Brawn, “therefore we will use a significant number of unique aerodynamic parts for the RA108. The priority is to minimise drag to achieve the top speeds of 340kph on the long straights and therefore the rear wing and front wing are significantly smaller than usual. We will also run without our usual wings on the nosebox. The engine cover, bargeboard and other chassis devices have all been analysed for their aerodynamic efficiency and amended or reduced where required.

“The lap at Monza has a number of big braking areas so it can be very hard on the brakes. It is also quite bumpy, which combined with the low downforce, means that the suspension settings have to be right without compromising the car’s ability to ride the kerbs.”

Honda has won the Italian Grand Prix six times with the most recent visit to the podium in 2004, when Jenson Button finished third for the Honda Racing F1 Team. Rubens Barrichello has won the race twice before, in 2002 and 2004.