FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO HEINEKEN D'ITALIA 2018 - PRACTICE 1 & 2

2018 Italian Grand Prix preview

A picture from the old part of the track (the loop).

Are you ready for the Italian grand prix and the Monza track? This is one of the most legendary tracks in F1 history and it is also Ferrari's home grand prix.

Several Formula One legends have died on this track. The list is long so I shall mention just a few.

• In 1955 the Ferrari legend and two time world champion Alberto Ascari died here during a test session. 
• Wolfgang von Trips and 14 spectators were killed after he collided with Jim Clark in 1961. 
• Jochen Rindt was crowned as the Formula One world champion at the end of the 1970 season. Unfortunately he had passed away before that at Monza. The points were enough to make him the champion.
• The best Swedish F1 driver ever lived was Ronnie Peterson. He died in a hospital after a serious crash at the start of the 1978 Italian grand prix.

The Monza track has changed several times over the years. At first it looked like this:

This was in 1922-1933 before the F1 series even existed. The track was 10 kilometers with 4.5 kilometers in the loop and then 5.5 kilometers on the road track.

Later in 1935-1937 the track was changed and looked like this:

In 1950 the Formula One series started and Monza was the last race on the calendar. The race was won by Nino Farina even though Juan Manuel Fangio had been faster all weekend. Fangio got pole position and set the fastest lap of the race. Unfortunately he retired due to a gear box failure and Farina won the race and the first championship. The track was again different and it looked like this:

In 1955 it looked again like it did in the beginning (with the road- and loop-part). After 1969 the oval part was not used anymore and the track looked about the same it looks today.

The fastest lap on the combined track (in a race) was set in 1960 by the American F1 world champion Phill Hill. The record was 2.41.400 and the time was set with a Ferrari.

The fastest lap on the modern track (in a race) was set by Rubens Barrichello in 2004 and also with a Ferrari. The current record is 1.21.046 and the reason why it is so much faster is that "the loop" is no longer in use.

If we talk about wins then Michael Schumacher is the king of this track. He has won this race 5 times. From the current drivers the king would be Lewis Hamilton. He has won on this track 4 times before and I am sure he will win again this weekend.

Sebastian Vettel took his maiden victory in Monza back in 2008 with Toro Rosso. That was strange if you ask me! To win a race with the former Minardi now known as Toro Rosso. Everybody were sure that Heikki Kovalainen would win the race but he couldn't get pass Vettel and stayed 2nd.

And now it's time for my predictions and here they are:

Pole position: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

Race:

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
3. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari

Fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

Surprise: Keep an eye on Esteban Ocon.

FORMULA 1 2018 JOHNNIE WALKER BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - RACE

FORMULA 1 2018 JOHNNIE WALKER BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - QUALIFYING

FORMULA 1 2018 JOHNNIE WALKER BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - PRACTICE 3

2018 Belgian Grand Prix preview

Finally the break is over!! Could not have taken one more weekend without a race.

Spa is one of my favorite tracks because in almost every race they host we see something unforgettable.

Everybody remembers what happend in the beginning of 2012 when Romain Grosjean caused a terrible crash and got banned from the next race. There was also a terrible crash in the beginning of the 1998 race which was one of the worst in F1 history. Check the video below. Jordan also took their first 1-2 in the race with Damon Hill and Ralf Schumacher.



In 2000 Mika Häkkinen made one of the coolest moves on Michael Schumacher when he overtook him with Ricardo Zonta in the middle of them in full speed. See Hakkinen and Schumi from this video:



Spa is also the track where Giancarlo Fisichella took pole position for Force India in 2009 and Kimi Räikkönen won the race even though Ferrari had a lot of problems that season. See Fisichella's comments of the good qualifying session:



Here Kimi overtakes Fisichella:



Great memories! Now it's time for my predictions!

Pole position: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

The race:

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
3. Kimi Räikkönen, Ferrari

Fastest lap: Kimi Räikkönen, Ferrari

Surprise: Keep an eye on Kimi Räikkönen this is his favorite track and he has won here more than once.

FORMULA 1 2018 JOHNNIE WALKER BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - PRACTICE 2