Italian GP: Who Is Michele Alboreto & Why Is the Legendary Parabolica at Monza Being Renamed After Him?

Monza is one of, if not the, most famous race circuits in the world. A feature on the F1 calendar since 1950, the circuit earned its ‘Temple of Speed’ nickname due to its high-speed corners. One of those corners is the iconic parabolica, which will be renamed after former Italian racing driver Michele Alboreto.

The corner, created in 1955, comes just before the final straight towards the finish line, with F1 drivers reaching speeds over 200mph on entry. In honor of Alboreto’s death 20 years ago, parabolica will receive a new name: Curva Alboreto.

Michele Alboreto raced for Ferrari among other F1 teams

Born in Milan, Alboreto impressed in several racing series, ultimately earning a seat in F1. He joined Tyrrell in 1981 and raced with the British team for three seasons. After impressing with Tyrrell, he joined Ferrari in the 1984 season and spent five years with the Italian outfit.

He finished runner-up to Alain Prost in 1985, which represented his best chance to win a world title. In 1988, the Italian finished second in his home Grand Prix. He was the last Italian to stand on the podium in Monza until Giancarlo Fisichella achieved the feat in 2005, where he finished third.

After leaving Ferrari in 1988, he remained in various teams before leaving the pinnacle of motorsport in 1994. Besides Formula One, Alboreto also took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which he won in 1997.

On 25 April 2001, Alboreto took part in an Audi R8 sportscar test at the Lausitzring in Germany. It was there that the Italian met his untimely and shocking death at the age of 44.

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Naming ceremony to take place this Saturday in Monza

This week, Monza will host Round 14 of the 2021 F1 season as the Italian Grand Prix returns after a year. On Saturday, September 11, a naming ceremony will take place for the corner.

Alboreto’s wife, Nadia, and her family members will grace the occasion. They will join F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, Monza circuit President Giuseppe Redaelli and Automobile Club d’Italia President Sticchi Damiani in the ceremony.

The Italian Grand Prix will witness the second-ever sprint qualifying in F1, after the first one took place in Silverstone. This race, which will take place this Saturday, will determine the grid for Sunday’s race to end an exciting triple-header.

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