Onboard at Monza

The Italian Grand Prix signals the end of a fascinating European season of Formula One almost every year and 2011 has been no different. Mostly in the setting of the beautiful, late summer September sunshine, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a spectacular occasion. The Tifosi pour into the circuit in their thousands craving a victory from Maranello's finest, Ferrari. Last year Fernando Alonso gave them that very special gift and will look to replicate his 2010 victory on Sunday. Do not bet against it.

Before that emotional Monza victory on Sunday came Alonso's similarly memorable lap in front of the fanatical Ferrari crowd in qualifying. Where else would Alonso score his first Ferrari pole position? It was written in the script.

I've been hoping for a video clip like this for months and it is fitting that a classic, onboard lap should on these pages from the historic Monza race track. Here is a lap riding onboard with American Eddie Cheever driving the beautifully sounding (and looking) 1983 Renault RE40. You'll notice the alterations made at the Rettifilo as well as the sweeping curves at the Lesmo, which is much slower in modern F1. It does not look too dissimilar to the Stavelot corners at Spa. A truly mesmerising race track.

It has been a rather long time since I have shown you some overtaking on this site so I will not delay it any longer. The 2007 Italian Grand Prix saw Mclaren take a dominating one-two victory, with their favoured son Alonso (yes I am just joking) heading home Lewis Hamilton who would have been third but for a quite brilliant pass on Kimi Raikkonen, which is included in the video. As is Nico Rosberg's measured move on Honda's Jenson Button, on a rare competitive day in the '07. I hope these moves are a sign of things to come this weekend.

Josh.