Grand Prix Rejects

Here's a question for all you trivia buffs out there... I was looking at the aerial view of Monza on Google satellite view today during my lunch hour. What is the round clearing with roads radiating from it, centred in Curva Nord.

Here's the link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=monza,+italy&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=46.812293,78.75&ie=UTF8&ll=45.624378,9.286644&spn=0.009799,0.02738&t=k&z=16

There's another strange circle of trees here:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=monza,+italy&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=46.812293,78.75&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=45.61727,9.287704&spn=0.001225,0.002403&z=19&iwloc=A

Alien landing areas perhaps? Wikipedia doesn't have the answer...

The Monza track was built in 1922 in the middle of the Royal Park of Monza, which was built in 1808 by Napoleon's son who was at that time Viceroy of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy (note the amazing longevity of the country - 9 years).
I have found some pages (only in Italian, sorry) that show the original layout of the Park, and those circles are likely to be "roundabouts" in the park's paths.
Look here: http://www.comune.monza.mi.it/rd/la_tua_citta/3230.htm and here: http://www.parcomonza.org/
The second circle is not shown in the original layout, seems to be a more recent thing.

Oh, thanks so much! I knew the track had been there since the 20s and that first circle with the radiating roads looked like it had pre-dated the track. I didn't think it was a Roman Ruin however. I'll have to look at that park layout in more detail, its very interesting. Imagine the furor now if someone wanted to build a race track in a park! The petitions! The Protest marches!

Thanks!

Stephanie

Albert Park, Melbourne...

dr-baker wrote:Albert Park, Melbourne...

Isn't Albert Park converted from roads around there, though? It's not building a whole new circuit, though I imagine they did have to put in the paddock, run-off areas, and such.

dresda wrote: I didn't think it was a Roman Ruin however.

Roman?

Imagine the furor now if someone wanted to build a race track in a park! The petitions! The Protest marches!

Indeed. By the way, in the years between the birth of the modern Italy (1861) and the circuit construction (1922), the Park was sadly abandoned: first it became property of the Royal Family which closed it to the public, then, after King Umberto's murder in Monza (1900) was abandoned even by the Savoy family. Such a large abandoned area was considered to be a waste of terrain, so the circuit was built without opposition, along with a hippodrome (now lost) and a large golf course.
Actually, the second link I posted is the website of a enviromentalist association that fights for the preservation of (the remains of) the Royal Park.

Thanks!
Stephanie

you're welcome!

Jack O Malley wrote:

dresda wrote: I didn't think it was a Roman Ruin however.

Roman?

Yes, like these: http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&q=32.63,14.312222&ie=UTF8&ll=32.632224,14.309188&spn=0.003045,0.006866&z=18 in Libya.

Google Satellite view is a great way to waste a boring lunch hour at the office.

BlindCaveSalamander wrote:

dr-baker wrote:Albert Park, Melbourne...

Isn't Albert Park converted from roads around there, though? It's not building a whole new circuit, though I imagine they did have to put in the paddock, run-off areas, and such.

Most of it is pre-existing roads, but when the circuit was first proposed, a section across the top had to be added to make it a complete loop within the park boundaries.

One of those circles is for a tether-car track. I can't remember where it was, but I've seen and I remember it was in the middle of the park, a bit removed from the paddock.
Tether cars are model cars that run on a circular banked track, with a concrete pole in the middle. The cars are attached to the pole with a steel cable or tether. The cars run one at a time. There are several classes depending on engine size and the fastest cars reach silly speeds. I first heard about them (and heard them! very very loud!) and saw them run at the 2003 FIA Sportscar race in Monza.
Check it out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tether_car

I've got some photos somewhere.

Faustus wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tether_car

I've got some photos somewhere.

344 kph!! I never heard of them... Looks amazing!

Sorry, my post earlier was commenting on Stephanie's comments about the protests about having a GP in a parkland. There have been, I have heard, enviromentalists protesting there every year. Whereas in Europe, we just get people buying homes near purpose-built racetracks then realise that they're noisy and put noise restrictions upon them.

dr-baker wrote:Sorry, my post earlier was commenting on Stephanie's comments about the protests about having a GP in a parkland. There have been, I have heard, enviromentalists protesting there every year. Whereas in Europe, we just get people buying homes near purpose-built racetracks then realise that they're noisy and put noise restrictions upon them.

Brands Hatch is a perfect case in point. The residents of West Kingsdown get a free yearly pass to Brands Hatch.

dr-baker wrote:Sorry, my post earlier was commenting on Stephanie's comments about the protests about having a GP in a parkland. There have been, I have heard, enviromentalists protesting there every year. Whereas in Europe, we just get people buying homes near purpose-built racetracks then realise that they're noisy and put noise restrictions upon them.

There was a woman who did that with Croft. She was told exactly what it was and the natue of it was made pretty clear. Within a few weeks of moving to a nearby town, shehad filed a noise complaint and Croft was forced to cut back its actitivtes by over 70%. All the enthusiasts had to lose out because of one person's selfishness.

The google satellite image of the Hockenheimring is the pre-2002 layout. It makes for some pretty nostaligic viewing!

Not only Croft but Zandvoort as well, and Monza has had problems with residents' complaints, almost leading to the cancellation of its Grand Prix.

I say the circles are where bernie and compsny hold there pow-wows and come up with rules like medal systems.