Formula 1: The Italian Grand Prix experience, from the eyes of a fan

After attending the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort last weekend, I went to Italy to attend the Grand Prix in Monza.

I had a great seat for the weekend, sitting by the Parabolica right before the start/finish straight.

Due to also wanting to experience the culture and attractions in the area, I decided to stay in Milan.

Friday

I flew into Milan on Friday morning, so I was in a rush to get to the track. Formula 3’s practice session was quite early in the morning, so I missed that, unfortunately. However, I made it through the gates just in time for Formula 2’s practice session.

I was a little upset at the staff, as they made me throw my water bottle away since its volume was too large. It was very confusing to me, as it was allowed in Zandvoort with no issues. Nevertheless, I had to purchase water on the grounds and use that for the remainder of the weekend.

I was very excited to see Formula 2 cars out on track. With it being my first time at Monza, I found it incredible to be watching the future of Formula 1 drive right by me. I would say I was most looking forward to watching Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, Jak Crawford, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Isack Hadjar out there.

Formula 1’s first practice session was a few hours away, so once the checkered flag was waved, I made my way to the fan zone, which happened to be quite close to me, and devoured some food. After a long journey, I desperately needed some energy. The fan zone in Monza was quite big and placed in a large open area, and it turned out to be much better than the one in Zandvoort. 

Upon eating some fantastic gelato, I wanted to get another picture of myself standing on the replica podium. Just as I exited the attraction, I heard people screaming and saw hundreds of people sprinting towards the large stage on the grounds. So just like everyone else, I made my way over there too.

As I went closer, I could see some people in orange and green shirts on stage. It was then when I realized that driver interviews were happening. The first four were drivers from McLaren and Sauber, followed by drivers from Alpine and Aston Martin. I must say that Lando Norris is hilarious. As he was walking off stage, a fan threw a small stuffed dog at him. Norris caught it, grabbed a mic, and said, “I’m going to name this Max”, sparking a roar of laughter from the crowd. 

With FP1 set to get underway for Formula 1, I quickly made my way back to the grandstand. Despite having seen all of these cars just last weekend, I was still full of excitement. With Logan Sargeant having been replaced just a few days prior, I knew all eyes would be on Franco Colapinto. Transitioning from Formula 2 up to Formula 1 in just a matter of days is no easy task.

Additionally, I was watching Kimi Antonelli very closely. With this being his first practice session in Formula 1, my hopes were high, considering the fact that he would likely be driving for Mercedes next season. The Italian driver was very quick at the Temple of Speed, but an unfortunate crash on his next lap brought out the red flag.

Antonelli crashed at the Parabolica, so I saw him go off, but I lost sight of the W15 as it crashed into the barriers. I knew that George Russell was not particularly happy, seeing him wreck his car. Honestly, I was quite worried about his readiness, considering the fact that he would be replacing Lewis Hamilton in 2025. Moreover, it would be the first time in several decades that Mercedes signed a rookie.

Despite many people getting up to leave, I stayed in my seat, as Formula 3’s qualifying session would commence shortly afterward. At the moment, I was unaware that this would be Formula 3’s final race of the season, with a fight for the championship still ongoing.

With the Italian weather being so hot and humid, plus my tiredness from traveling, I began to fall asleep in the grandstands, despite the loud engines of cars zooming by. Formula 3 qualifying sessions are very short, split into two groups of 13 minutes each. Despite the limited time, most drivers completed four laps.

Upon the final session’s conclusion, I made my way into the shade, as I was drenched in sweat just from sitting in my seat. Formula 2’s qualifying session followed shortly thereafter, and I knew this series was also in a fight for the championship, with multiple drivers in contention.

The margins would be so thin across the board, and I was hoping to see Antonelli take pole in front of his home crowd. Oliver Goethe was another driver I watched closely, as he moved up from Formula 3 to fill the void left by Colapinto. Qualifying did not disappoint at all, with the top 20 drivers being separated by just one second. 

Though Formula 1’s second practice session was set to begin shortly thereafter, I made the tough call of skipping it to go home and sleep. The walk to the nearest bus stand was nearly 30 minutes, and by the time I made it back to my Airbnb, two hours had passed.