A lap at Monza with Kimi Raikkonen

The McLaren team is not giving up the fight in the two championships. Kimi Raikkonen has reduced the gap at the top of the Drivers' World Championship to 24, with a total of 71 points. Juan Pablo Montoya has moved to fourth with 40 points. The result also saw Team McLaren Mercedes reduce the difference in the Constructors' rankings to just nine points, with 121 points in second place.

Kimi Raikkonen "It was a great race in Turkey and the new track meant we had entertaining racing. The car continued to feel really strong and quick, which is very encouraging on such a challenging circuit. However, Monza is considerably quicker. It is the fastest track
with speeds averaging 250km/h, and we run with the lowest downforce set- up all season. There are a couple of sections where you need to drive fully flat out to be quick, the main
one is Parabolica; you have to maintain your speed through here as it swings you round onto the main straight. The situation in both the Drivers' and Constructors' championships is still open and nobody knows what's going to happen until the last race in October. The car has the pace to win, and I am not giving up the fight, so we shall see."

Juan Pablo Montoya "I always enjoy driving at Monza, it is a great track and I have good memories there as I won my first Formula One race at the circuit in 2001. There is always an enthusiastic atmosphere
from the tifosi, I don't think they're cheering us on though! It is a tough track on the cars, with the bumps, chicanes and long, fast straights. We need to have high speed stability, braking stability
and be able to ride the kerbs well, with a softer than normal mechanical set-up. However there are also four high speed corners, and we need to ensure we are fast through these. After Turkey, we are really close in the Constructors' battle and I am looking forward to getting some strong results over the final five races towards the title."

Pedro de la Rosa "As a result of it's unique characteristics, Monza is a challenging track to get right set-up wise, so I will be conducting some additional work in this area with Kimi and Juan Pablo on Friday. We had a good test with Michelin last week at Monza, completing much of the tyre selection programme."

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren CEO "We demonstrated in Turkey that we have the strongest package and we are in the hunt for both Championships. We need to keep the momentum going and do a better job than Renault over the
remaining five races and then see what happens. We believe we have the pace in the cars and are focused on our objective of winning these five Grand Prix, however we are aware that Renault need to make some errors. It is going to be an exciting seven weeks. In preparation for the Italian Grand Prix, we completed a two day test at Monza last week. Work focused on running with the revised aero package we will use for the race, this is as a result of needing the lowest amount of downforce all season. In addition to trimmed front and rear wings, this will see the removal for this race of the mid roll hoop winglets, which will return for the final four races."

Norbert Haug, Mercedes Motorsport VP "Monza is more demanding for the engines than any other Grand Prix circuit. This is due to the track's main features with its long straights, three tight chicanes and high speed corners. Monza is the fastest circuit on the calendar with average lap speeds exceeding 250 km/h and the top speeds on the front straight reaching more than 360 km/h. The drivers have to brake hard from these speeds causing high strain on the brakes.
Although it has been remodelled a couple of times, Monza is a classic circuit with a great tradition. The only time we won here was in 1997 with David Coulthard. It would be nice to get another win this time. The team went through an intensive preparation programme testing at Monza last week. We have been fast and reliable there running more than 1200 kilometres with one engine in extreme conditions."

As Kimi Raikkonen heads to Monza aiming for his third straight victory, the Finn describes a lap of the 5.793km circuit.
"Starting a lap of Monza, you power up through the gears along the wide Rettifilio Tribune straight reaching the top speed of all the circuits on the calendar, 350km/h in seventh gear. The right-left Rettifilio Chicane is located at the end of the straight and sees your speed drop as you brake dramatically to 115km/h in second.
As you exit, you immediately reach the Curva Grande. This long, bumpy right-hander is taken flat out and your speed increases to some 290km/h in sixth before arriving to the Variante dello Roggia. You brake from some 335km/h in sixth to 115km/h to negotiate the left-right chicane, which has a tricky entry as it is very bumpy and slippery. Another short straight follows and takes you to the double apex right hander of Curva di Lesmos. You enter the first turn at 168km/h in third. A quick burst of acceleration sees your speed increase up to 225km/h before you then brake for the second apex, which is negotiated at 150km/h also in third. It is important to maintain a good speed through Lesmos, as it takes you onto a long straight, which has a slight left curve. You reach 340km/h in seventh as you blast towards the Curva del Vialone. Another hard braking zone takes your speed
down to 145km/h in third to negotiate the left hander, the entry of the famous Ascari chicane, which is immediately followed by a right-hander leading into the next left hand corner. This is quite an exciting section of corners, which then flicks you onto the back straight, achieving speeds of 340km/h in seventh gear as you approach the famous Parabolica. The tight entrance to this long sweeping right hander is taken at some 160km/h and as the curve opens out your speed increases and you are swung back onto the start- finish straight to begin another lap."