3 Monza-inspired cocktails to drink while watching the Italian Grand Prix

Imagine cobbling a world-class race circuit together in 110 days? Back in 1922, that’s precisely how long it took to construct the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. And it wasn’t terribly long after the 3.6-mile (5.793-km) circuit arrived that the first Italian Grand Prix was held there. Since 1950, this 11-turn track has been the home of every F1 Italian Grand Prix (with a one-year gap in 1980, when the track was undergoing renovations). 

Dubbed the “Temple of Speed,” Monza’s long been both a driver- and fan-favorite for its gung-ho high-velocity nature. With few turns, ample straights, and generous overtaking zones, drivers spend more than three-quarters of each lap at full throttle. And they’ll hit an absolute top speed around 220-plus mph (354 kph) on the long start/finish straight.

Settle in for an action-packed 2024 Italian Grand Prix with these three cocktails, each concocted to honor one of Monza’s legendary corners. 

1. Speziato del Rettifilo

Turn 1 and Turn 2 at Monza together are known as Variante del Rettifilo, and they’re one of the best places to watch the race if you’re lucky enough to be on the ground. Drivers come into this tight right-left chicane doing more than 210 mph (338 kph) in eighth gear before smashing the brakes and dropping to 40 mph (64 kph) in second gear. It’s a hotspot for early-race skirmishes and a solid overtaking spot for drivers bold enough to brake just a little later and dive a little deeper. This riff on an Italian margarita that I’ve dubbed the Speziato del Rettifilo matches the chicane’s spiciness and ratchets up the heat with Calabrian chili peppers. If you’re hosting friends, multiply the recipe amounts to make a pitcher. (Though one tip in that case: keep ice out of the pitcher; it’ll dilute the drink too much.) 

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz. tequila (Blanco adds sweetness; reposado or anejo for a more rich and complex version)
• 1 oz. amaretto liqueur (Disaronno if you like sweet; Amaro Nonino if you lean towards bitter)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ½ tablespoon Calabrian chili paste (optional; sliced jalapeños work, too)

Steps

1.  Add Calabrian chili paste to a shaker, then add the tequila, amaretto, and lemon and lime juices. Add ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
2. Double strain the drink over a large ice cube in a rocks glass.

2. Parabaldica Spritz

One of the more iconic Monza turns a final U-shaped right hander on the circuit’s…