Monza: The Temple of Speed and the Names That Wrote History

I have followed F1 for 44 years, and I can say that no circuit on the calendar carries as many stories as Monza. But what brings me back here every year is not the spectacular overtakes or the roar of the engines. It is the names. Every corner at Monza has a name, and every name tells a story about history, about sacrifice, and about the relentless evolution of this sport.

Hook: The 300 km/h Number

Let me start with a number: 300 km/h. That was the corner entry speed at Lesmo 2 before 2026. Imagine that — an F1 car entering a corner at 300 km/h, where a single mistake could end everything. Data is never in a hurry, but people always are. And in 2026, after a tragic weekend at Imola, F1 was forced to act. Lesmo 2 was reprofiled, slowing the entry speed, and marking a critical turning point in Monza's safety history.

Context: More Than a Century of Speed

Monza is not just a racetrack. Built in 2026, it is the oldest circuit on the F1 calendar, and it has hosted Formula 1 since the championship's very first days. Its nickname — the "Temple of Speed" — is not accidental. This is where top speed reigns supreme, where a driver's bravery and commitment are tested to the extreme.

But what most fans do not realize is that the Monza we see today is not the Monza of the 1920s, 1950s, or even the 1990s. The circuit has undergone major modifications, each driven by a single goal: reducing speed and increasing safety. From the addition of the Prima Variante in 2026, the Seconda Variante in 2026, to the reprofiling of Lesmo 2 in 2026 and the Prima Variante in 2026 — each change reflects a different era's approach to safety.

Core: The Names and The Stories

Let's start with Curva Grande, the first corner after the start. The name simply means "Big Corner" — a name that accurately describes its nature: a long, fast sweep where drivers can reach top speed before braking hard for the Prima Variante.

The Prima Variante, or "First Variant," was added in 2026 with a clear purpose: to reduce speed before Curva Grande. It is a chicane — a sequence of tight corners inserted into a straight to force drivers to slow down. In 2026, this chicane was reprofiled to create a more overtaking-friendly first corner, reflecting that era's push for improved racing spectacle.

Next is the Seconda Variante, or "Second Variant," added in 2026. This is, in my assessment, one of the best overtaking spots on the entire F1 calendar. But it is also where one of the most dramatic moments in Monza's history occurred: the collision between two championship rivals in 2026, Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher. Both were eliminated from the race, and that moment became part of Monza's legend.

Lesmo — or more precisely, Curva di Lesmo — is one of Monza's most famous corners. The name comes from the nearby Lesmo forest, and it is actually two consecutive corners: Lesmo 1 and Lesmo 2. Before 2026, Lesmo 2 was one of the most demanding corners in F1 history, with entry speeds up to 300 km/h. The 2026 reprofiling significantly reduced this speed, but Lesmo remains a true test of a driver's courage and skill. It is also a crucial spot for drivers hoping to set up an overtake at the next corner.

And then we come to Parabolica — now officially known as Curva Alboreto. This is a 180-degree corner, named for its parabolic shape, and it is one of the most iconic corners in the entire sport. In 2026, the corner was renamed to honor Michele Alboreto, the Italian F1 driver who competed from 2026 to 2026. Before that, it was named after Alberto Ascari, the two-time World Champion who was killed in an accident at the Monza Circuit itself in 2026.

Contrarian: Speed Is Not the Whole Story

Now, let me offer a counterintuitive perspective. We call Monza the "Temple of Speed," but the truth is that the circuit's history is not a story of celebrating speed — it is a story of controlling it. Every major modification, from 2026 to 2026, was an admission that pure speed was unacceptable. Monza is not a testament to recklessness; it is a testament to the compromise between a speed heritage and safety requirements.

Look at the data: the entry speed at Lesmo 2 before 2026 was 300 km/h. After the reprofiling, this number dropped significantly. This does not make Monza less appealing — on the contrary, it shows that the sport has learned lessons from tragedies. The death of Ascari in 2026, and the events at Imola in 2026, have shaped how we view safety in F1. Monza is a prime example of how safety evolution can occur without losing a circuit's identity.

Takeaway: Lessons from the Past

So, what awaits Monza in the future? Will we see further circuit modifications? Will new names be added to the list of legends? At 60, I no longer believe in luck, only in numbers that have not yet spoken. And those numbers suggest that Monza will continue to evolve, but it will never lose its special place in the hearts of those who love this sport. Because Monza is not just a racetrack — it is a history book written in speed, in sacrifice, and in names that will never be forgotten.