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  • Monza! Magnifico!

    Ⓒ Neil Simmons

    The city of Monza sits approximately nine miles to the north-east of Milan. The region was conquered by the Romans and Milan was declared the capital of the Western Roman Empire. It stood as a colossus against the rest of the world, even though there were some quarters who did not believe in the iconic value of this region. Armies came but it would take something special to break this fortress.

    Similarities in these thoughts can be made with the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, which now stands like that colossus, but no longer controlled by the Romans. This is a motor racing land now but it still has its enemies. Will the Monza empire crumble and fraction off into a new era? True Formula One fans, those who have grown with this beast of a circuit, stand like centurions, guarding the gates of this fortified, fuel injected dynasty. Surely this can’t be the end of one of the most iconic circuits in the world?

    The red flag of Ferrari dominates the scenery as far as the eye can see, but the dominance is being tested by the growing barbarians that gather. The settlements of Mercedes and Red Bull gaze down at the Tifosi who vehemently stare back, their eyes stubbornly piercing with the Italian flair for all to see, waving arms and passionate cries. Ferrari will not secede and Monza will never surrender.

    Nineteen victorious moments the red machine has cried in joy here in Northern Italy, they have been here before. The challenge of Auto Union and Alfa Romeo in the 1930s and 1940s, the Mercedes 1950s revolution. How did this proud army withstand the onslaught of Lotus (70s), McLaren (80s and 90s) and Williams (80s and 90s)? Because like Monza, they are proud.

    The table at Monza is a stirring pot of passion and heroic ideology. At the head of the banquet sits the German conqueror Michael Schumacher with his glorious 5 wins in battle. Seated next to him a man who travelled across the Atlantic to tame the Monza beast four times during the eighties, Nelson Piquet. They sit proudly knowing that among all the challengers who ventured to Northern Italy, they are the best, the gladiators in this epic arena who tamed the beast and made it bow in defeat.

    Before these two Monza greats are gathered are the men who tasted victory on three occasions. Tazio Nuolari looks on with Italian pride with his countryman Alberto Ascari. They were a decade (or just over) apart in their victories but they hold the legion flag as the Italians who have won the most times, defending their honour. Before Nelson Piquet, other warriors made the trek across the world to fight the Italian dragon; the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio who successfully tamed this track three times in the fifties. Another Brazilian master would see victory here as Rubens Barrichello marched on in 2002, 2004 and 2009. The Scandinavians were not going to be defeated by the Italian tarmac. Ronnie Peterson came and conquered Monza in the seventies, he remains the only driver from this part of Europe to do so. He sadly would also lose his life at this great circuit.

    What about the proud British?

    Stylish and with an air of arrogance, two men, sixty years apart have looked Monza in the eye and taken their mechanical sword and thrust it through the heart of Monza. Stirling Moss was triumphant here in 1956, 1957 and 1959 before Lewis Hamilton returned the British pride of treble wins in 2012, 2014 and 2015. The Germans too would see victory again. Sebastian Vettel winning on three occasions but back then he was not driving a red car. His reception will be so much more different now.

    Only two men can join Nelson Piquet at the head of the banquet, Vettel and Hamilton. The Tifosi will be hoping a German can bring Italian victory, whereas the Brits are pinning their arrogant hopes on Hamilton.

    A gladiatorial arena of long straights, tight chicanes and the sweeping parabolica. An air of mechanical war is sweeping across Europe this evening. The Italians are ready for battle again, but will they see a twentieth victory? Will the Tifosi bellow with a passionate roar that will shake the stands where they sit and sway the trees that line the old track banked on the outside of the new. That same old track that witnessed the challengers from yesteryear arrive full of hopes and dreams with one goal in mind. To conquer the beast of Monza.

    This is the place where Jochen Rindt lost his life, the only racing driver in Formula One to have won the world title posthumously.

    For those who believe that this circuit should be consigned to the vaults of history with the memories of battle that it has served up in the past, think again. This old girl is not ready to give up her charms and she certainly will not go down without a fight.

    Monza Magnifico. The beast returns this weekend. The empire shall not crumble.

    Photo Credit to Neil Simmons

    Neil Simmons

    2nd September 2016

  • Ferrari: from Spa to Monza

    GP BELGIO F1/2016 – SPA FRANCORCHAMPS (BELGIO) – 28/8/2016
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    For Ferrari, the Belgian Grand Prix was yet another missed opportunity to mount the podium following Lewis Hamilton’s mammoth grid penalties this weekend.

    They will take solace from the fact that this time it wasn’t a strategic call, or technical problems, but instead more run-ins with a Red Bull second driver.

    After an excellent start both Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel were clear of Max Verstappen, who had bogged down from second on the gird.

    The Dutchman then tried an optimistic move to regain his positions at turn one, where Vettel had only left room for teammate Raikkonen.

    The resulting collision left Vettel spun around, Raikkonen with front wing damage as well as a puncture while Verstappen had a damaged floor and front – and some red mist.

    The 18-year-old was firm on Vettel, Raikkonen and Sergio Perez when they tried to overtake at the Les Combes chicane, although there was contact with the Finn before he made his trip to the run off.

    That might have annoyed Raikkonen, but what happened a lap later angered the Iceman.

    The 2007 World Champion had made his move to the inside along the fast Kemmel Straight, only to be forced to stamp on the brakes as the hot-headed Verstappen swerved in front to cover Raikkonen’s line, something he politely described as “ridiculous”.

    Raikkonen was able to race to ninth following that wretched start, while Vettel climbed to sixth when a podium was more than on the cards.

    For all the mishaps and spills that have dogged their season, Ferrari will be hoping to put all of that behind as they head into their home round as the Italian Grand Prix graces Monza for what could be the final time.

    Contractual wrangling mean the Italian Grand Prix could move to Imola – former host of the San Marino Grand Prix, – next year.

    Ferrari should be marginally quicker at the ultimate power track, with the TagHeuer-badged Renault engines in the back of the Red Bull still slightly behind the Ferrari and Mercedes Power Units.

    For Vettel, the race has fond memories as he took his first ever win in Monza back in 2008 while driving a Toro Rosso, while Raikkonen has never won in Italy.

    Ferrari will need a strong showing at Monza for a number of reasons and not only to keep their famous Tifosi onside.

    They are now 22 points behind Red Bull and fast losing touch with second in the Constructors’ Championship in a season when their car ought to have delivered more.

    If there is to be a revival for the Prancing Horse, Monza is the place to do it as time runs out in the 2016 World Championship.

  • Title momentum up for grabs in high-stakes Italian Grand Prix

    GP AUSTRIA F1/2016 – SPIELBERG (AUSTRIA) 03/07/2016
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    Nico Rosberg may have put an end to Lewis Hamilton’s four-race win streak with a lights-to-flag victory in last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, but his teammate’s recovery from the back of the grid to third prevented the German from retaking the lead in the championship.

    That makes this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix a must-win event for Rosberg. Having lost out to Hamilton at favourite tracks like Monaco, Austria and Hockenheim, Rosberg needs to strike back at his teammate’s own hunting grounds if he is to keep his title challenge alive.

    With traditional Hamilton tracks like Suzuka and Circuit of the Americas dominating the latter half of the season, it’s imperative that Rosberg builds on the momentum of Spa to take back control of the championship – just as he did at the start of the season.

    “It’s great to add another classic circuit like Spa to the list of wins,” Rosberg said. “Hopefully that puts us on a good curve as we head to another legendary track in Monza.

    “Last year obviously didn’t end so well for me there, so I’m hoping for a bit more luck and a little less fire this time… I can’t wait to make our Silver Arrow fly at Monza.”

    But if Rosberg is heading to Monza emboldened by his performance in Belgium, so too will Lewis Hamilton, who also has the added psychological benefit of three recent Italian Grand Prix victories to his name.

    “I had a perfect weekend there last year,” Hamilton said of his most recent Monza win. “Standing on that amazing podium, looking out over a sea of fans on the straight, has to be up there as one of the most incredible experiences a sportsman can have.

    “It’s game on for me with the penalties out of the way and fresh engines ready to use. I can’t wait to get back out there.”

  • Spa, a chaotic restart

    GP BELGIO F1/2016 – SPA FRANCORCHAMPS (BELGIO) – 27/8/2016
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    Formula 1 re-started after the summer break and everyone was hoping to watch an exciting race in Belgium. The spa is one of my favourite circuits and it didn’t let me down. From the first lap until the last one there were many battles, some of them forced collisions between the drivers some others were some easy overtakes from the faster drivers to the slower ones.

    Rosberg took the pole position in Saturday’s qualification session, whilst his team-mate received a grid position penalty and started the race from the last row.

    Max Verstappen started the race from the second position, followed by Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel, while his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth.

    Lights out..

    GP BELGIO F1/2016 – SPA FRANCORCHAMPS (BELGIO) – 28/8/2016
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    Lights out and the race starts, Rosberg has a good and clean start, but behind the two Ferraris collided with each other and Kimi Raikkonen damaged Max Verstappen’s front wing. Sebastian Vettel took the outside on the first corner, but he was very close to Kimi Raikkonen who didn’t have any space to turn because Max Verstappen dived in the corner from the grass and trapped Kimi Raikkonen between him and Sebastian Vettel.

    Max Verstappen pitted and replaced his damaged front wing, with a fresh one, whilst both Ferraris lost places. Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton started from the last row of the grid and they moved up to fourth and fifth place respectively. Both drivers started the race on the mediums, which allowed them to do a longer stint with the same set of tyres.

    Shocking accident..

    GP BELGIO F1/2016 – SPA FRANCORCHAMPS (BELGIO) – 28/8/2016
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    On the eighth lap, Kevin Magnussen lost the control of his Renault, at the final part of the famous Eau Rouge, and crashed into the tyre wall. His Renault was destroyed, but Magnussen walked out of the car and he was transferred to the medical centre. Kevin Magnussen said on twitter that he went home with an ankle injury, but he will be fine for the Italian Grand Prix. The race was red-flagged after two laps were all the drivers were behind the Safety Car.

    Re-start..

    GP BELGIO F1/2016 – SPA FRANCORCHAMPS (BELGIO) – 28/8/2016
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    At the re-start, Daniel Ricciardo tried to remain close to the Nico Rosberg, but the German was unmistakable during the race and managed to increase the gap with the Australian. Lewis Hamilton passed Fernando Alonso and on lap 18 and managed to pass Nico Hulkenberg and moved up to the third position. A few laps later, Mercedes called into the pits the Brit champion and switched his tyres with a fresher set, this move gave an advantage to Hamilton over Ricciardo for the second position.

    On lap 32, Lewis Hamilton made his final pit-stop, but he couldn’t catch and pass Daniel Ricciardo. Fernando Alonso, with his Honda-powered car, wasn’t able to defence his position from Perez and Vettel, hence he dropped seventh ahead of the two Williams and Kimi Raikkonen.

    The Finn suffered a puncture after the collision with Verstappen and Vettel, and during his pit-stop fires created at the body of his Ferrari.

    Kimi Raikkonen was frustrated and angry with Max Verstappen, mainly because of Max’s defensive moves when Kimi tried to pass him on the straight.

    The Finn said: “If I had not braked, we would have had a massive accident. It will happen sooner or later if this doesn’t change. I am fine with good, hard racing but that is not correct.”

    Next race will take place in Monza, where the Tifosi will cheer for the favourite team.

    Victor Archakis @FP_Passion

  • Red Bull, Belgian Grand Prix Review

    GP BELGIO F1/2016 – SPA FRANCORCHAMPS (BELGIO) – 28/8/2016
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    Red Bull continued their strong foundations built during the first half of the season as Daniel Ricciardo separated the Mercedes pair.

    The Australian gained 18 points for his team as the Milton Keynes team extended their lead over Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship.

    “For the team to be coming away from Spa still second in the Constructors’ Championship, and having extended our lead over Ferrari, is more than we could have envisaged,” said Team Principal Christian Horner.

    Max Verstappen ended in up in 11th place as he had a collision with Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen at the first corner:

    “I didn’t start as well as I wanted but I got up the inside for the first corner then got squeezed by the two Ferraris.

    “In the contact my front wing and the floor got destroyed so then the car was very difficult to drive and the race was gone. Still, I tried my best to come back especially for all the people who were cheering me on in the stands, but unfortunately I didn’t get in the points,” declared the pensive teenager.

    Ricciardo showed his growing confidence behind the Red Bull as he has transcended last years’ points tally: “An impressive performance by Daniel today; a great disciplined drive, looking after his tyres and making an effective two-stop strategy work. To finish second, at the type of venue that we weren’t expecting to be our strongest, is an amazing result.

  • Lorenzo desperate for points at one of his ‘favourite circuits’

    Reigning MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo will be looking for a chnage of fortune at the British Grand Prix, after a disastrous Czech Grand Prix saw him slip to third in the standings, behind Italian teammate and arch rival, Valentino Rossi.

    After a difficult last race, that saw Lorenzo having to come into the pits due to tyre problems, the Mallorcan is set on making a strong comeback this weekend at a circuit where the odds are in his favour: he holds the record for the rider with the most MotoGP wins at Silverstone. Over the last six years Lorenzo has secured three premier class victories, in 2010, 2012 and 2013, and is eager add a fourth to his tally this weekend.

    “After the two back-to-back races in Austria and Brno the situation is not as we desired beforehand but we can‘t change that”, said a philosophical Jorge Lorenzo ahead of Sunday’s race.

    “From now on we need to think race by race and just try to get the best results day by day. Silverstone is the next stop so we have to push at the maximum there and enjoy riding with the bike again” vowed the Spaniard, now 59 points adrift of leader Marc Marquez.

    “That track is one of my favourite circuits in the world but unfortunately the weather is always very unpredictable. Let‘s see if we can deliver a great race again there”.

    Lorenzo finished 4th in last years Grand Prix in tricky conditions. A 4th this season in the wet would be a great day for him.

    Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

  • Series leader Marc Marquez arrives at ‘Enjoyable’ Silverstone

    With just one weekend off after his third-place finish in Brno, Championship leader Marc Marquez heads to Britain aiming to once again fight for the podium at a track that he likes and that has brought him good results. Teammate Dani Pedrosa (fourth in the standings) is looking to regain his confidence and return to a more usual pace for him.

    Silverstone has a rich racing heritage stretching back over 60 years and has become an iconic motorsport venue. Built on a former airfield, the 5.9 km track is the longest and one of the fastest circuits on the schedule. This is the seventh year that the MotoGP paddock will visit Silverstone since it replaced Donington Park in 2010.

    Marc, who scored on British soil the first Grand Prix podium of his career at Donington Park in 2008 (125cc), has celebrated four podium finishes in six Silverstone visits, including a 125cc class victory in 2010, a MotoGP win in 2014, a second-place MotoGP result in 2013 and a third-place Moto2 showing in 2012. Dani has enjoyed two MotoGP podium finishes at Silverstone (third in 2013 and 2012).

    Marquez: Weather is unpredictable

    “Silverstone is a place where the weather is generally quite unpredictable, meaning that cold and rain are variables you have to be prepared to face. We’ve encountered ‘mixed conditions’ situations more than once this year, and we saw how important it is to remain focused and make the right choices. We’ll see what happens during the weekend and we’ll try to manage the situation with the same mind-set that has gotten us this far. I like the track a lot; it has a slower first section but then there’s a series of ‘esses’ where it’s possible to make the difference if you find a good setup for the bike. I’ve always enjoyed racing there and we’ll push at the maximum to get the best result possible.”

    Pedrosa: The track is not easy

    “My main goal at the moment is to regain some confidence and feeling and then build upon that. The work we did during the Brno post-race test gave us a few ideas and we’ll see now if we’re able to start to find some more speed in the next races. Silverstone is a challenging venue with many changes of direction that require a lot of work on the bike’s settings. Another important topic is the weather, which is often quite unpredictable, and that also makes it demanding to set up the bike, to choose tyres and so on. The morning practices and the afternoon practice often give you different feelings. The track is very fast, quite winding, and it’s not easy. Once you get going though, things get better and everything gets more flowing on race day.”

    Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

  • Rossi ready for ‘uncertain’ weather at ‘fun’ track

    Valentino Rossi arrives at the Silverstone circuit ahead of the British Grand Prix, an event in which he scored 25 points in last season.

    The Doctor comes to the twelfth round feeling confident after securing second place at the last race in Brno, making it a total of five podium finishes so far this season. He looks forward to riding the fast sweeping corners of Silverstone, where he rode his YZR-M1 to his first victory at this track last year. He had been successful on British soil at Donington Park in previous years, having secured three modern era premier class wins in 2002, 2004 and 2005, and two 500cc victories in 2000 and 2001.

    Silverstone made its first appearance on the MotoGP calendar in 2010 and is one of the fastest tracks on the calendar thanks to innovations to the circuit‘s lay-out, earning it high praise from the riders. The racing passion of the British fans also adds to the atmosphere of the venue, making the British Grand Prix a must-be-at event.

    “I have very nice recent memories of Silvertone. Last year I won a really incredible race in very difficult conditions”, said the veteran Italian who currently sits on 114 career race wins.

    “I hope that this year there will be nice weather, but from the climatic point of view the English race is very uncertain. I like Silverstone a lot, it‘s a very fun track but also very demanding” explained Valentino, who has just one other podium at the track, in 2014 when he finished third. This circuit is very long and there are many changes of direction with high speeds”, said the winner of eight previous British Grand Prix, spread across three classes.

    “It is important to find a perfect set-up for the bike to be able to suit both the slow and the fast corners. We will try to work on all aspects, as we have been doing the entire season to get the best possible result”.

    Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

  • Sam Lowes: The Fans give me a Great Charge

    Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 rider Sam Lowes is ready to fight in the British Grand Prix, twelfth round of the 2016 Moto2 World Championship taking place this weekend on the fast Silverstone circuit: fresh from the third place finish in Czech Republic, the 25-year-old British rider is determined to get another good result in front of his home crowd, in an attempt to close the gap in the standings from his title rivals, Johann Zarco and Alex Rins.

    Started from pole position last year and currently third in the championship with 137 points, Lowes will be back aboard his Kalex on Friday 2 September for the first free practice session, while the race will start on Sunday 4 September at 2pm local time.

    Lowes: Weather doesn’t bother me

    “It’s always very nice for me to get to Silverstone for the Grand Prix: there will be many fans to support me and this gives me a great charge. It’s a track where I know I can be very competitive: last year I got the pole position and this year the goal is to fight for victory. We know we have what it takes to succeed, so we will give our best, trying to have fun. We may encounter variable weather, but it’s a possibility that does not bother me: the good performance achieved in Brno in the wet was a nice confidence boost from this point of view, so we are confident whatever the circumstances”.

    Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

  • Somber occasion for Gresini Moto3 Team as Mularoni dies

    The British Grand Prix, scheduled for this weekend at Silverstone, will be a very touching event for all the Gresini Racing Team, which will race in memory of Enzo Donald Mularoni, president and CEO of Ceramica Del Conca, who passed away last August 26th.

    A prominent figure of Italian entrepreneurship and incredibly passionate about motorcycling, Enzo Mularoni joined the team earlier this year as main sponsor, embracing a project that thrilled the President of Ceramica Del Conca, who also attended the recent Austrian Grand Prix last August 14th to closely follow the race of Enea Bastianini and Fabio Di Giannantonio.

    Gresini: Mularoni was thrilled about racing

    “We are going through a very difficult time: I was very shocked by this sudden loss and honestly right now it’s not easy to think about competitions. The Grand Prix that will take place this weekend at Silverstone will be a very touching event for all of us; we know very well how Enzo Mularoni was thrilled about racing, therefore we will be on track giving our best, as always, in the memory of a person with great human qualities, as well as a great businessman. Mularoni will be missed a lot by his ‘team’, the Del Conca company, as well as he will be missed by all of us: Enzo was following very closely the races, a proof of his great passion for the sport. He also attended the recent Austrian Grand Prix, at the Red Bull Ring, and I was also speaking with him after the Brno race, to share our thoughts about the Grand Prix and our sixth consecutive podium finish. At Silverstone we will race to honor his memory and we will continue to carry on this project with the enthusiasm that he has taught us to put in everything we do, always”.

    Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko