Zoom "A real honour to race there," says Barrichello

Round 14 of the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship takes the Honda Racing F1 Team to the outskirts of Milan for the Italian Grand Prix. The 53-lap race is staged at the 5.793km (3.600-mile) Autodromo Nazionale di Monza and marks the end of F1's European season.

Monza is the oldest and fastest track on this year's calendar. The circuit was built in 1922 and since the inception of the World Championship in 1950 has staged the Italian Grand Prix every year with the exception of 1980.

The original 45-degree banking at either end of the pit straight has not been used by F1 cars since 1961, but the circuit remains a temple of speed, with four long straights where the cars will reach top speeds of 340kph (211mph). Average lap speeds are expected to be in excess of 250kph (155mph).

Honda has won the Italian Grand Prix six times as an engine supplier; the most recent visit to the podium was in 2004, when Jenson Button finished third for the Honda Racing F1 Team. Rubens Barrichello has won the race twice before, in 2002 and 2004 as a Ferrari driver.

JENSON BUTTON:

What are your thoughts ahead of the Italian Grand Prix weekend?
"I always look forward to racing at Monza and the Italian fans are really passionate about motor racing. Although you're so focused over the weekend on improving your car, you can still sense the atmosphere and excitement around the circuit. Monza also has a real history about it. I've walked around the old banking part of the track and have so much respect for the guys who used to race on there. Monza is very different from most of the circuits that we race on during the year. It's quick and you have to run such low downforce to get the straightline speed that is needed to take advantage of the straights."

"Ascari is probably my favourite part of the track and you can have a lot of fun through there. Parabolica is also good, particularly in qualifying when you're trying to get the most out of the car and brake as late as possible whilst you are turning it. If you brake a little late, you're off into the gravel and probably the wall. But if you get it right and have a good qualifying lap, then it's an amazing buzz because you know that you've worked so hard for it. The first corner is always interesting with 20 cars slowing from 290kph (180mph) to 80kph (50mph) and fighting for position on a slippery circuit with cold tyres!"