Italian GP


In just two hours, one of these men will be the new world champion.

The Italian Grand Prix at Monza is the final race of the film.

Our four drivers, Aron, Sarti, Stoddard, and Barlini, are all seperated by just a couple of points. So whichever of them wins the race, will also be crowned the F1 World Champion

A row of driver's helmets on the pit wall Françoise Hardy in front of two car shells Françoise Hardy in front of two car shells Driver talks to timekeeper
Page and Frankenheimer in the pits Page and Frankenheimer in the pits Page and Celi smiling Page and Celi serious

Script

Race Commentator

With the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza Autodrome they're using a combination of the banked oval high-speed track and the road circuit.

The whole thing comes to six and a quarter miles just over half of this length being the road circuit with its fast corners and long straights.

By itself, it's one of the fastest circuits in the world.

And combined with the oval track, it should give some phenomenal speeds.

Ferrari coupe behind the grandstand at Monza Page next to the Ferrari Celi, Page, Saint and Sabàto talk next to the Ferrari
Madame Delvaux looks angry Scott Stoddard looks sideways Pete Aron and Pat Stoddard embrace Pat Stoddard sitting on a Ferrari race car Fashionable woman in sunglasses with typewriter and race helmet Françoise Hardy in a race helmet Nino Barlini Bedford and Hardy look serious Graham Hill leans over his tyre Adolfo Celi Eva Marie Saint Jeff Jordan

Monza

The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is located near the city of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. Built in 1922, it is the world's third purpose built motor racing circuit after those of Brooklands and Indianapolis. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, and with the exception of 1980, the race has been hosted there since the very start of F1.

Monza circuit layout

Autodromo Nazionale Monza

Ref.NameUsed
C8204 R3 7
C8205 S 28
C8202 R1 1
C8200 1/4S 1
C8236 SS 1
C8235 R4 18
C8234 1/2 R2 2
C8206 R2 4
C8278 1/2 R1 1
C8207 1/2S 4

Scalextric Sport

Size 4.35 x 2.41m, 14.28 x 7.92ft

The Circuit

Length: 6.213 miles, 10.00 km
Direction: Clockwise

Built in a woodland setting in the Royal Villa of Monza park, the site has three tracks – the 5.793 kilometre (3.600 mi) Grand Prix track, the 2.405 kilometre (1.494 mi) Junior track, and a 4.250 kilometre (2.641 mi) high speed oval track with steep bankings which, has been unused for many decades and is now decaying.

In the film, the Italian Grand Prix actually uses the combined oval and road course, which wasn't used during the actual race that year, and hadn't actually been used since 1961.

Some critics have mentioned this as an inaccuracy in the film, but that seems like a fundamental misunderstanding. Grand Prix was never intended to be a documentary, it is unashamedly a drama.

Racing drivers in helmets and race suits Montand and Fangio prepare to race Stewart and Hill discuss the race Montand and Celi
Scott Stoddard on the grid Pete Aron waiting to start the race Jean Pierre Sarti in his Ferrari The cars line up on the grid
The grid is cleared The start of the race The cars power away from the start line Smoking tyres and exhaust fumes

Script

Race Commentator

There's Barlini on his 17th lap. His Ferrari is just a bit too fast, even for Pete Aron's Yamura and Scott Stoddard's BRM.

They're in second and third places.

There's a splendid scrap for fourth place, with Tim Randolph in the second Yamura just ahead of Dan Gurney in the Eagle, and Bob Turner in the other BRM.

As they sweep around the banking Sarti's going to catch up with the three cars fighting for fourth place.

Italian GP

We've just heard there's been an accident. It's Sarti. Sarti's Ferrari has gone clean over the north banking and landed at the side of the track below.
Jean Pierre Sarti's body is taken to the ambulance The crowds gather round Louise Fredrickson cries Sarti's body on a stretcher
The chequered flag comes down A car crosses the finish line The are flagged home The race is over

Script

Race Commentator

Pete Aron is greeted as the winner of the Italian Grand Prix and this gives him the World Drivers' Championship. A great triumph for this determined American driver and Izo Yamura of Japan, whose cars have challenged and conquered the might of Formula 1 teams, in spite of all the years of experience and development behind them.

But it's a sad end to this dramatic season of battles for the championship.

The tragic, fatal accident to the great Jean-Pierre Sarti has cast a shadow over the race. And everyone who knew him or saw him drive will find it hard to accept that his great skill and tremendous personality is lost to us.

I'm sure the last thing either Pete Aron or Izo Yamura would have wished is for it to end this way.

Pete Aron, thoughtful Françoise Hardy, thoughtful Jean Pierre Sarti with the laurels Louise Frederickson crying
Pete, do you ever get tired of the driving?
Lately, I sometimes get very tired. You know what I mean?
Very tired.

Results & Standings

Race Result
Driver Team Pts
1st Peter Aron Yamura 9
2nd Scott Stoddard Jordan BRM 6
DNF Jean-Pierre Sarti Ferrari 0
DNF Nino Barlini Ferrari 0
Final Positions
Driver Team Pts
1st Peter Aron Yamura 35
2nd Scott Stoddard Jordan BRM 33
3rd Nino Barlini Ferrari 28
4th Jean-Pierre Sarti Ferrari 27