There are Formula 1 circuits. Then there’s Monza. Some tracks are famous for their scenery. Others for impossible corners or dramatic weather. Monza has earned its place in F1 history for one reason above all else. Speed.
Known around the world as the Temple of Speed, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza has been pushing drivers and teams to their limits for more than a century. Every September, the world of F1 returns to one of motorsport’s most sacred and historic venues, where bravery is rewarded, mistakes are punished, and the roar of the tifosi creates an atmosphere unlike anywhere else.
In 2026, you’ll not only have the chance to visit Monza, you’ll also have the opportunity to stay inside the track.
Welcome to The Pop-Up Hotel’s first Italian Grand Prix.
A circuit built in just 110 days
It’s hard to imagine now, but Monza arrived at incredible speed itself.
Construction began in 1922, and the entire circuit was completed in just 110 days, making it one of the world’s very first purpose-built motor racing circuits. Only Brooklands in England and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway came before it.
From the beginning, Monza was designed to be spectacular.
The original layout featured enormous high-speed banked corners that allowed cars to reach astonishing speeds for the era. While those famous banking sections are no longer used in Formula 1, parts of them still stand today, hidden among the trees of Parco di Monza as a reminder of motorsport’s fearless early days.
The circuit officially opened on 3 September 1922. Just one week later, it hosted the Italian Grand Prix.
The birth of Formula 1
When Formula 1 launched its World Championship in 1950, Monza was there from the very beginning.
Since that inaugural season, the Italian Grand Prix has become one of Formula 1’s defining races, missing the Monza circuit only once, in 1980, while the venue underwent renovation.
Generations of legends have written their names into Monza folklore.
Ferrari victories have sparked unforgettable celebrations beneath the podium. Championship battles have swung dramatically in front of hundreds of thousands of passionate fans. Last-lap heartbreak, iconic overtakes and emotional home wins have become part of the circuit’s DNA.
If Formula 1 has a spiritual home, Monza is certainly one of them.
Why is Monza called the Temple of Speed?
Quite simply, nowhere else feels faster.
At 5.793 kilometres, Monza is one of Formula 1’s quickest circuits. Cars spend around 80 per cent of the lap at full throttle, reaching speeds well over 350 km/h before drivers throw them into heavy braking zones.
The long straights demand the lowest downforce packages of the season. Drivers skim over kerbs through the Rettifilo chicane, dance through the Lesmos and attack the famous Ascari chicane before charging towards the sweeping Curva Alboreto, known to many fans by its former name, Parabolica.
Every lap is a balancing act between outright speed and absolute precision, and it’s exhilarating to watch. It’s even more incredible to experience from just metres away.
The magic of the tifosi
Every Formula 1 team has supporters, but Ferrari has the tifosi.
Draped in red, waving giant flags and creating deafening noise from Thursday until Sunday, the tifosi transform Monza into something closer to a football stadium than a race circuit.
When Ferrari wins here, the celebrations become part of Formula 1 history, and even when Ferrari doesn’t win, the passion somehow remains just as strong.
In 2026, the atmosphere promises to be electric once again. Lewis Hamilton arrives in Ferrari colours after securing his first victory for the Scuderia, while Italian star Kimi Antonelli continues his remarkable rise at the front of the championship (for Mercedes). A home victory for either driver would send the grandstands into absolute meltdown.
Even if you’ve watched Formula 1 around the world, nothing quite prepares you for Monza.
Staying inside the action
This year marks another exciting first.
For the very first time, The Pop-Up Hotel arrives at Monza, bringing its signature blend of comfort, hospitality and unforgettable experiences to Italy’s most iconic sporting venue.
Our hotel sits inside Parco di Monza itself, surrounded by ancient pine and plane trees, with the circuit on one side and Monza Golf Club on the other.
Most fans spend the weekend travelling to the circuit. You’ll already be there.
Located beside the famous Lesmo section of the track, guests have access through The Pop-Up Hotel’s own private circuit entrance, just steps from your room. Whether you’re heading to hospitality, the grandstand or simply taking in the atmosphere, everything is within easy reach.
It makes race weekend feel less like an event and more like your own private Formula 1 village.
More than a place to sleep
The best race weekends aren’t just about what happens between lights out and the chequered flag.
They’re about breakfast conversations predicting strategy. A drink with new friends after qualifying. Driver interviews, simulator competitions, stories from past races and reliving every overtake long into the evening.
That’s exactly what The Pop-Up Hotel has been creating for years at Silverstone, Monaco and Glastonbury.
Now, for the first time, that experience comes to Italy.
Expect beautifully appointed accommodation, relaxed lounge spaces, exceptional hospitality, chauffeured buggies to trackside venues and evenings designed to capture the spirit of race week beneath the trees of one of Europe’s most historic parks.
It’s everything you need for an unforgettable Italian Grand Prix, without sacrificing comfort.
A weekend to remember
Monza has survived wars, technological change, evolving regulations, and more than 100 years of racing. It has crowned world champions, broken hearts and delivered some of Formula 1’s greatest moments. Now it’s ready to write another chapter.
Whether you’re watching the cars disappear into the distance at breathtaking speed, joining thousands of tifosi beneath the podium or simply enjoying a quiet coffee among the pines before the day’s action begins, you’re becoming part of a story that stretches back to 1922.
Not every Formula 1 weekend feels historic. Monza always does.
And this year, with The Pop-Up Hotel making its Italian debut just steps from the Temple of Speed, you’re perfectly placed to experience every unforgettable moment.
Book today, and don’t miss out.
