Italy: Jenson Button's lap of Monza

By Honda Racing F1
September 6 2006

"Monza is Formula One's oldest circuit and a favourite amongst the drivers'," says Honda Racing F1's Jenson Button. "It has a very special atmosphere and provides a real challenge with its combination of long corners and very fast straights."

"Having crossed the start/finish line you accelerate to 350 kph in seventh gear before braking very hard for the very tight first chicane at Rettifilo Tribune. The high speed and low-downforce mean that you have to brake very early for the first corner which is taken in first gear at 70 kph.

"A good exit from the second part of the chicane is crucial because of the following long straight. You remain in first gear for the second part of the chicane before accelerating through Curva Grande, which is easily taken flat out, and you approach the second chicane - the Variante della Roggia - at around 330 kph.

"Next follows the Lesmos - a pair of cambered right hand corners that are very similar to each other. Lesmo 1 is the faster of the two at 170 kph. You often struggle with understeer through here and any problems you have in Lesmo 1 you also get in Lesmo 2, so it is important to find a good balance.

"The Ascari chicane is a left-right-left chicane. You take the first apex in third gear at over 160 kph. We normally short-shift to fourth gear for the right hand apex, which is taken at 200 kph. The final apex is pretty much taken flat every lap these days, but it is still important to get a good exit as, like so many of the corners at Monza, it exits onto a long straight.

"Parabolica is a great, third or fourth gear right-hand corner which opens up as you go through it. It is fast and very long and you brake after the 100m board. You have to balance the car by playing with the throttle and your exit must be good enough to get the power down as early as possible. You have very low downforce, so you're either going to have oversteer or understeer there. It's probably the most important corner and a good exit is therefore imperative to carry good speed back onto the long pit straight."