Anybody going to Monza??? | FerrariChat

Anybody going to Monza???

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by Sarc, Jun 23, 2004.

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  1. Sarc

    Sarc Formula Junior

    Nov 1, 2003
    301
    USA
    Hey all!

    In the middle of September, my girlfriend and are planning a trip to Spain for roughly 3 weeks. We have a condo in Benalmadena (which is on the Costa del Sol) for the last week, so we were thinking of spending the first couple weeks up in the Northeast region. It’s going to be great. Now is where it gets better:
    My girlfriend(!) was surfing on www.f1.com and noticed that the grand prix at Monza is going on right when we plan to be in Barcelona. She takes a look on Monza’s site, and tickets seem reasonable. She then takes a look at flights and for a few dollars more, we can simply fly into Milan, go to the race, and either take the rail or fly into Barcelona.

    Now for my questions;
    Exactly how close is Monza to Milan? Would it be better to drive or train to the race?
    Could anyone recommend some accommodations in Milan. We would prefer a small, boutique type hotel.
    Perhaps the most important question: Can we still get tickets to the race, and where should we sit???

    I'm unsure if I should have posted this here or in general discussion, so feel free to move accordingly.

    Thanks in advance!
    Paul
     
  2. david r

    david r Rookie

    Nov 2, 2003
    14
    minneapolis, minnesota
    Full Name:
    david redburn
    i too am going to monza this september. it is my understanding that the track is within 20 minutes of milan. as for accomodations i can't be of any help. i just reserved an average hotel room in a tourist part of the city close to a metro stop. i am renting a car as well but am playing it by ear before i decide whether to use public transportation to and from the race. i was in barcelona last year for the race and drove to and from the track with no problems. i hope monza is the same. have fun
     
  3. bmiller411

    bmiller411 Formula Junior

    May 6, 2004
    405
    Houston, Texas
    Full Name:
    Bruce B Miller
    When I was there for the Ferrari Challenge Finale, I was at a Holiday Inn in Milan and drove to the track. It was only 20 clicks and a easy drive. I would go a couple of days early to soak it all in and get my bearings. Driving in Italy is a lot of fun. Enjoy

    I will be back in Monza for the Challenge Finale again this year.
     
  4. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    Milan is about half an hour away and it can't be hard to find some hotels. It is such a big city. I drove a rental car to the race and was very pleasantly surprised how well it was organized. Even after the race the traffic jam was not that bad (once you get out of the parking lot).

    I bought tickets for the grand stands. Probably your best choice, because that way at least you can follow the action in the pits. I have to say Monza was terribly uninteresting as a race track from a spectator's point of view, so some good seats are a must.
     
  5. Sarc

    Sarc Formula Junior

    Nov 1, 2003
    301
    USA
    Thanks, everyone, for the input. I think we might do it. Is it best to just purchase the tickets through the official website?
    David, were did you end up reserving your rooms at, and who did you use to book a car??
    Thanks again!
    Paul
     
  6. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    I usually buy tickets through the official website. In that particular instance I had them from a travel agency.

    Hotels and cars for Europe I normally book via travelocity.com.

    We actually stayed in Chamonix (French ski resort in the alps), which was quite a bit away, but traffic on the North Italian highways is low on a Sunday morning.
     
  7. ScuderiaRossa

    ScuderiaRossa Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 22, 2001
    2,225
    Monza is about a half hour away. We went to the race two years ago. It was a spur of the moment thing, so we just got general admission tickets. Big mistake, you really need to sit in a grandstand to see anything. Be sure to take a walk onto and under the old banking, its pretty cool.
     
  8. david r

    david r Rookie

    Nov 2, 2003
    14
    minneapolis, minnesota
    Full Name:
    david redburn
    i too purchased my tickets through the official web site. i haven't received them yet but if i remember correctly we are sitting across from the pits in the grandstands. i used expedia to reserve our room in milan but haven't actually arranged the rental car yet. mostly because we are not sure of the exact dates we are going to be in italy. in the past i have used expedia to rent cars in europe without a problem. maybe someone has other suggestions.
     
  9. jtremlett

    jtremlett F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2004
    4,696
    Monza is effectively a suburb of Milan. Best option is to take the train - no traffic worries that way. There is a free bus service between Monza station and the circuit entrance. Just follow everyone else. You can't miss it. There can be a bit of wait for the bus back to the station after the race though.

    For me and many others Monza is my favourite GP. You don't get the best view and you most likely won't see the most exciting race, but the whole atmosphere, especially for a Ferrari fan, is magic. As Len S says make sure you check out the banking. If you go for practice it is worth a walk through the inside of the circuit up towards the Lesmo corners. Some of the grandstands are usually free for practice. Like others I recommend you go for a grandstand seat for the race (my preference is for the start/finish straight so you can see the start and soak up the atmosphere as everyone rushes onto the track at the end of the race). The Italians will have swiped all the best general admin spots before you've even got out of bed on raceday.
     

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