When it was constructed in 1922, Monza was only the third purpose-built racing circuit in the world. Following in the footsteps of Brooklands and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the circuit featured a high-speed banked loop alongside its road course. Now, over a century later, Monza’s historic banking still stands, despite being disused for decades and surviving several demolition plans in the latter part of the 20th century. Here, within the peace of the largest walled park in Europe, still sits a piece of motorsport history which was once loud, daring and brutal.

This weekend, Audi Revolut F1® Team will race, literally, in the shadow of the banking. It can be seen above the circuit, atop the bridge which sits over the track on the approach to the Ascari chicane, before linking up with the modern-day track adjacent to the exit of the Parabolica corner. It stands as a reminder of F1®’s history – and the advances in safety since the sport’s early era.

Constructed by a workforce of well over 3,000 and completed in just three months, Monza first opened on September 3^rd, 1922 – almost exactly 104 years ago. Well before the Formula 1 World Championship was established in 1950, the opening chapters of Monza’s long racing history had already been written.

One of the world’s oldest national Grands Prix, the Italian Grand Prix – first held in Montichiari in 1921 – moved to Monza in 1922. The early years produced victories for the likes of Tazio Nuvolari and Rudolf Caracciola, both legends of their era. But the circuit’s high-speed layout also proved to be deadly in the track’s formative years, with a number of races marred by the deaths of both drivers and spectators.

After a period where the event was suspended due to safety concerns, ongoing improvements and modifications continually made the track somewhat safer, albeit by the rudimentary standards of the time. After the Second World War, a series of necessary renovations enabled the Italian Grand Prix to return to Monza in 1949.

Monza’s banked sections continued to be used in other motor racing series, and even featured in the film Grand Prix, five years after they had last hosted an actual F1® race. It wasn’t until 1969, when the 1000km of Monza was run on the layout for the final time, that the banking was finally abandoned for good. There were multiple plans to demolish the banking throughout the 1980s and 1990s. One proposal sought to reclaim the land to make way for an observatory, while later plans to tear it down came as a result of concerns over its structural condition.

A ‘Save The Monza Banking’ campaign was launched before the turn of the millennium with a petition, signed by the likes of motorsport heavyweights Stirling Moss and John Surtees, receiving overwhelming support to save this piece of motorsport history.

And so it still stands. Rough. Bumpy. Totally unsuitable for modern day racing. But a powerful reminder of a bygone era. Investment in 2014 and efforts to resurface the banking means that the structure has continued to withstand the test of time. The banking remains tightly guarded over race weekend. With an inclination of up to 80%, it is nearly impossible to climb to the top of the slope on foot, let alone imagine how the most advanced racing machines of yesteryear were able to tackle it at speed.