Italian GP flashback: Frentzen wins as Hakkinen spins
In what is the greatest seven days of the year for most Formula One fans, the season heads from special Spa to mighty Monza for the Italian Grand Prix.
Nowhere else on the calendar has the history of the ‘temple of speed’ with 2016 the 66th race at the Autodromo.
Just once, since the inception of F1 back in 1950, has Monza not been on the schedule with Imola hosting the Italian round back in 1980.
That means with so many races to choose from, picking just one to highlight in our ‘flashback’ is an incredibly hard task.
From the countless Ferrari wins to Rubens Barrichello’s Brawn triumph and we all remember that wet day when a star was born back in 2008.
The build-up to the Italian GP is the same every year, it’s all about Ferrari and whether the country’s most famous brand can live up to the Tifosi’s expectations.
Partisan is putting it mildly to describe the atmosphere at Monza. If Ferrari can win they must and if something goes wrong for a rival they make sure to let you know about it.
Ultimately, respect is shown if the ‘best man won’ and when Ferrari maybe aren’t in a position to triumph Monza is still a celebration of all things F1.
Certainly that’s the situation the Tifosi have been in the last few years. Fernando Alonso in 2010 was the last time a red car took the checkered flag with Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren taking the honours since then.
This weekend’s race could mark Ferrari’s best opportunity to end that drought, however, as a new engine upgrade is believed to put them level with Mercedes and Red Bull are likely to struggle. Therefore, we could be set for a straight fight.
It’s a scenario reminiscent of 1999 when McLaren was the top team and Ferrari was nibbling at their heels.
Michael Schumacher was out of action, after breaking his leg at Silverstone, so Eddie Irvine was leading the charge with Mika Salo alongside.
In the championship, Irvine was a point behind Mika Hakkinen in the standings but it was a disastrous qualifying with the Irishman only eighth and Salo in sixth as the ‘Flying Finn’ took pole.
Hakkinen made the perfect start leading away into the Rettifilo as Alex Zanardi in the Willams moved into second after starting fourth.
The Italian would only hold that place around the Curva Grande, however, as Heinz-Herald Frentzen swooped back ahead into the Variante della Roggia.
Ahead, Hakkinen controlled the race as teammate David Coulthard, who had started third, fell back at the start and would lose further positions behind Ralf Schumacher and Mika Salo.
There would be incidents aplenty behind as Marc Gene tangled with Pedro de le Rosa at the Roggia chicane, Pedro Diniz and Giancarlo Fisichello would both crash out at the first sequence of chicanes a lap later and Tora Takagi would run into the back of Luca Badoer in the same section as the race approached half distance before recovering and later ending his own race at the Variante Ascari.
YouTube: Mika Hakkinen – Error driving leading in Monza (F1 1999) (Round 13: Italian Gran Prix)
All events would pale in comparison, however, to lap 30 when Hakkinen, comfortably ahead on his own, would select the wrong gear on the approach to the first chicane, going into a half spin and sending the McLaren in the gravel trap.
The Tifosi went mad at the Finn’s demise as a clearly angry Hakkinen threw his gloves to the floor before crying among the trees.
His moment gifted Frentzen the lead, who would go on to take his second win of the season, with Ralf Schumacher second and Salo in third to the delight of the Tifosi.
Irvine, however, was unable to take full advantage as a quiet race saw him only finish sixth. That single point moved the Irishman level on points in the championship.
While his error wouldn’t be as devastating to Hakkinen’s championship as he first feared – he would go on to retain his title – the 1999 race was a true reflection of what happens when you’re fighting Ferrari at Monza.
It was also just a single moment in the circuit’s vast history that proves anything is possible at the Italian Grand Prix.