Traditional Italian Grand Prix: Monza corners – the mysteries are revealed

Formula 1 returns to the Royal Park of Monza, with fans looking forward to a spectacular motorsport festival. In 2022, this fabulous circuit celebrated its 100th anniversary; the world-famous track is 90 per cent owned by the Automobile Club of Italy (ACI) and 10 per cent by the Automobile Club of Milan

But even after all this time, many racing enthusiasts are unaware of how all the corner names at this high-speed temple came about. Time for a quick refresher.

Let’s start at the beginning: Monza. The third-largest city in the Lombardy region (125,000 inhabitants), after Milan and Brescia, is said to be named Monza after the Lombard queen Teodolinda.

According to legend, whilst resting by the River Lambro, a dove appeared to her in a dream and said: ‘modo’ (‘here’ in medieval Latin). And the queen is said to have replied in her dream: ‘etiam’ (‘certainly’). The two words are said to have given rise to the word ‘modoetia’, from which the name Monza was derived.

According to another story, emigrants from the German city of Mainz settled here, giving rise to ‘Magonza’ and then ‘Monza’. As is often the case in such situations, the experts are divided on the matter.

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There is, however, no doubt as to how the names of the bends came about, so join us from start to finish for a lap of this historic race track.

Rettilineo Box – Not particularly spectacular: literally translated, this means the ‘straight by the pits’.

Prima Variante – The first chicane was built in 1972 to slow the cars down for the subsequent Biassono right-hander. In 1976, the chicane was made tighter, and in 2000 it was reshaped once again.

Biassono – It used to be called ‘Curva Grande’, the big or fabulous bend, a fitting name for this full-throttle right-hand bend. Biassono is the name of a nearby village, which in turn takes its name from a fortress belonging to the Blasoni family that was once built here (Blasonium Vicus).

Seconda Variante – The second chicane used to be called ‘Curva della Roggia’, after a small river nearby.

Lesmo 1 and 2 – The track once ran through a dense forest here, which is why the bend was originally called ‘Curva delle Querce’ (Oak Bend). From 1927 onwards, the bend was called Lesmo, again named after a nearby village. Lesmo is said to derive from the Laetissimus family. Other linguists believe it has roots in the island of Lesbos. Here, too, experts are divided. Lesmo 2 was originally called ‘Curva dei 100 Metri’, referring to the distance between the two bends. It was later renamed ‘Curva del bosco dei Cervi’ (Deer Wood Bend).

Serraglio – The king’s hunting lodge stood at this left-hand bend. The name derives from ‘serail’, another word for ‘palace’, which was later used to refer to an animal enclosure.

Ascari variant – Formerly known as the ‘Curva del Platano’ (Plane Tree Bend) or the ‘Curva del Vialone’ (Avenue Bend). Following Alberto Ascari’s fatal accident at Monza in 1955, the bend was named after the two-time Formula 1 champion and Le Mans winner.

Parabolica – Since September 2021, the bend has officially been called ‘Curva Alboreto’, after Grand Prix winner Michele Alboreto, who was killed in an accident in April 2001. Without wishing to be disrespectful: everyone still calls it Parabolica; the name, of course, derives from the shape of this 180-degree bend, which leads back to the start and finish line. Before that, the bend was called ‘Curva de Porfido’, because it was mainly built using porphyry stones (an igneous rock).

For the sake of completeness: the massive raised walls, known as ‘sopraelevate’ (raised), still stand at Monza.