The temple of speed! Mix three long straights, a few chicanes, and fast corners, and you've got yourself a true classic venue. Monza has to be one of the most admired racetracks around the world.
Known for its high-speed nature, Monza is located in Northern Italy. The 5.793km long track has hosted Formula 1 since 1949, and it's not going anywhere soon.
Turn 1 (Variante)
This first corner after a long straight is a challenging start to your lap. Not only are the inside curbs high and punishing, but this is a hotspot for lap 1 pileups. When you're on it, however, keep to the left on the straight. Brake anywhere between 100 and 150m (brake markers are clearly visible on the left top). Gently trail brake your way in. To get a better run to turn 2, you can ever so slightly dart left before turning in since there's a small green patch you can use.
Turn 2
The inside curb on this one can ruin your entire race. Steer clear of it. It's important to square this corner off and allow the car to run towards the outside curb on your right on exiting. The most important thing about turn 2? Avoid the curb!
Turn 3 (Curva Biassono)
This long, swooping right-hand bend can be taken flat out. Stay in the middle for more traction and avoid touching the inside curb.
Turn 4 and 5 (Variante della Roggia)
The braking here is vital for a good run into the turn. The general rule of thumb is to brake hard when your nose arrives at the end of the guard rail on the right. In ACC, that end of the rail is colored orange, so it's easy to spot. If you're comfortable with trail braking, you can use the brake marker just behind it to bring the car to the apex. Turn 4 itself is just a split second where you clip the apex over the turn. Again, avoid the inside curb as it can send you into turn 5 out of control!
Turn 5, the second part of the chicane, offers similar challenges. Stay away from the inside curb (I'm going to say this a lot, sorry). Use as much of the flat part of the curb and pin the throttle hard once you've hit the apex. I almost literally steer the car towards the outside curb for maximum drive. But be warned, the curb is narrow and it's easy to dip a wheel or two into the gravel.
Turn 6 (Curve Di Lesmo)
It's hard to get this right. If you take it too aggressively, you can unbalance the car and send your ass first into the gravel. Be smooth with braking, take it down a gear or two and stay in the middle on entry. Gently touch the inside curb, and once you see the advertisement board on the far left, pin the throttle hard. You can run the car really wide on the exit, using as much of the green as you can.
Turn 7
Stay on the left of the track on entry. Avoid touching the grass and shift down to 2nd or 3rd depending on the car you're driving. You can take quite a bit of the curb, but I advise minimizing it. Once you feel the car settle, pin the throttle and allow the car to run wide over the outside curb. It's not uncommon for cars to spin here, so pay attention to your rear end.
Turn 8, 9, and 10 (Variante Ascari)
The second straight goes under the bridge and up to turn 8. In rainy conditions, there can be quite some standing water under the bridge, so watch out for aquaplaning. When braking into turn 8, stay right for as long as possible. I usually brake at the brake marker right behind the little overhead signs. Shift down to 3rd, let the car roll over the curb, and catch it with your throttle. This will stabilize the rear, but don't overapply. Turn 9 is all about stabilizing the car. Once you've got the car under control, throw it towards the right-hand curb and feel free to take quite a bit of that. Avoid the little yellow sausage curbs on the side, but even these can be taken with the right setup or car. In fact, going over them can help you align the car for turn 10. Once you're through turn 9, you can set the car straight for turn 10's exit. Cut the inside curb (but not too much as this can also send you flying) and maximize your drive out. Here, you can use as much outside curb as you need, but be careful for track limits.
Turn 11 (Curva Parabolica)
One of the most iconic corners at Monza, the final one! The back and final straight will give you plenty of speed going into this high-speed parabolica. Brake at the 100m and gently trail the brakes. There are multiple lines you can take through here, but my favorite is to stay in the middle on the entry, shift to 3rd and wait for the car to settle. Once you feel she's hooked, put the pedal to the floor and run a wide line out. In some cases, there's more grip on the inside, but over race distance I've found that to overstress my tires.
Conclusion
I used to dislike Monza at first, not seeing the challenge in it. But after putting in more and more time, I've learned to absolutely love it. There are few tracks where good, late braking can bring you so much accomplishment.
If only every online race didn't start with a pile up at the first corner…