Italian Grand Prix

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/f1/408142-please-tell-me-about-monza.html

 

This year will mark my fifth visit to Monza. You are in for a fantastic weekend. Too much to relay here so please feel free to PM for insight. Pretty much the only way to and from the Park where the circuit is located is by bus. Of course, you can also grab a taxi at minor cost, but the bus service for the race weekend is pretty good. You'll have more fun if you stay in Monza, but we've stayed at the Hotel Lincoln in nearby Cinesello Balsamo. Transit to the circuit from Cinesello Balsamo was via train and bus. No matter how you get there, expect to do a great deal of walking. The Park is enormous, actually dwarfs the circuit it surrounds, if you can believe that.

 

I just booked my trip to Monza. Flight, hotel and tickets.

Formula1.com currently has a sale for many tickets

 

Nice. That is such a great event to attend. I want to go to Spa next.

 

Congrats brother!!

 

I was going back and forth between Spa and Monza in my travel planning forever. Monza won because I can combine it with another great event.

I will do Spa one day.

 

Now I'm curious what the other great event is...?

 

100 year anniversary of the Swiss Airforce
I used to be part of that club

 

Nice.

 

I'm heading there also, I'm going to commute from Milan each day by train or bus. Any other transportation recommendations?

Thanks!

 

From Milan you'll be doing both. Service is pretty good, but must remember Italy kind of runs on it's own time continuum. Basically, once you get off the train in Monza the shuttle to the circuit is just outside the station.

Bus will probably drop off south of the Vedano gate to the Park. From there the circuit is due piedi

 

Could not recommend highly enough. Totally different than Monza in almost every way . . . but every bit as fantastic as you can imagine.

A couple of my favorite spots . . . hiking all the way up to the highest point of the circuit at Rivage, where you can actually see the drivers pivoting the cars through the corner with the throttle, something I've never seen captured on television . . . and standing inside the circuit but down a ways on the outside the 2nd apex exit of Pouhon.

The cars truly appear to be drifting as they approach flat out.

There used to be a vendor inside the circuit . . . Woopy Snaks . . . which made the most incredible brats with caramelized onions and spicy mustard . . . and the frites were awesome too. Last time I was there Woopy Snaks had lost the contract and were relegated outside the circuit to a temporary cafe setup in Francorchamps.

 

So camp within 50ft of Woopy Snaks, good advice!

 

LOL!

 

Camping and Brats bring back quite a few cloudy yet cherished memories.

In all honesty I am a little scared that if I do not attend a F1 race at either track soon the true essence and awe will be lost. Walking around Monza and still being able to touch parts of the original track and drifting off and hearing the engines echo through the forest and experiencing the beauty and climate changes of Spa as you traverse the circuit....

 

Thanks for the hints.

I have been to Spa, just not for a GP

 

Very good. Enjoy.

 

I sure will. Homecoming of some sorts to me.

Official website AIR14 PAYERNE

There is a cool video on the right side.

 

Watched both vids. The one that shows some of the history is really cool.

 

Thanks Jim, That is great to know as our seats are in the Vedano section!

 

There is indeed a special kind of Italian time, but my experience with the train service is that it's astoundingly good. A very high percentage of train departures and arrivals are exactly on time, which may come as something of a shock.

This punctuality doesn't apply everywhere though. It's quite normal to step up to a counter to buy something or to order a beer at a bar and find the clerk or bartender chatting on the phone or perhaps passing the time of day with another customer. You may not get even a hint of acknowledgement and it may take two three or even four minutes before they respond to you.

In America, you would get a polite wave as an absolute minimum, but in Italy you may feel totally invisible. This behavior is not considered rude even though it may seem to be so by American standards. I find it odd, but it's just the way things are so I just go with the flow. Once the attention is turned to you, you will receive the full service you were expecting.

 

LOL, you are so right.