Ferrari’s Home Grand Prix Gets a Massive Change as Temple of Speed Brings Stark Difference to Track

We are still 7 rounds away from going to Italy where we will see Carlos Sainz drive a team home race for the last time with Ferrari. Monza, called the temple of speed is where drivers are pushed to the limit as they race on the fastest track on the calendar. This 53-lap race stretches 306.72km (190.587 miles) and has been quite dangerous, with several crashes over the years. But that’s all about to change.

It’s poetic that Ferrari owns the fastest track in the world, but it has also been a track that has claimed the lives of many skilled drivers over the years. It’s always the goal of the FIA to make sure that the races are safer by the year and that’s exactly what they did to Monza. There has been a fine adjustment to one of the turns and this might just be someone’s saving grace in the races to come.

Monza’s 2024 modification

Ensuring that the tracks are safe is a responsibility not only of the FIA but also of the track owners. Although Formula 1 is now much safer than it was in the past, there’s no telling when an accident could turn ugly. The last F1 driver lost to the Temple of Speed was Ronnie Peterson, who passed away on September 10, 1978, in a Lotus 78 – Cosworth. Since then, there have been multiple changes to the track. Some of these changes have been bigger than the one we are looking at now. However, the new change transforms a very risky situation into a safer place.

Monza is modifying the first variant of the circuit called the Variante del Rettifilo which is the first challenge that drivers have to take on. The variant has been widened which will let more drivers get into the corner trying to get an overtake in. This will also make the turn easier to take while avoiding accidents. On the track with some of the longest straights such variants are important to speed and prepare drivers for turn 3.

It was at the Rettifilo Tribune that we lost Peterson. Despite having much safer cars now, it’s always important to make the sport safer. As the cars are getting safer, they are also getting faster. This is a growing challenge. Not only the cars will have to be worked on but also the tracks. It’s not new for such minor adjustments to be implemented on a track. This means drivers will be able to attack each other coming out of the starting straight, making the Italian Grand Prix even more exciting to watch.

Now that we know the current updates of the Temple of Speed, let’s take a look at why the Ferrari circuit is named the same.

Why is Monza called the Temple of Speed?

Monza is all about speed, as drivers need to race around a 11 turn track posing some of the most iconic challenges for an F1 driver. This is the only track where drivers can keep their foot on full throttle for 76% of the race. The longest flat out section in Monza is 1,520 meters, which gives enough room for testing the limits of the F1 car.

Speaking of limits, there are no speed limits on a track, and the way Autodromo Nazionale di Monza lets drivers reach a top speed of 370 km/h. There is no other track on the F1 calendar that allows cars to touch those speeds. They named the circuit made in 1922 the Temple of Speed because it tests the limits of the car when it comes to moving fast.

Among all teams, Red Bull and McLaren look most promising here as Ferrar is a better car around trickier, slower circuits. Considering this, do you think that the Prancing Horses will be able to win their home race? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.