The circuit has a special significance for the multi-series platform, as it hosted the first-ever event in this format, in 2001. Since then, however, the circuit has undergone renovations, both to the infrastructure, and to the track itself, which is now 5.77 km long, and which remains one of the fastest circuits in Europe.

The last time the FIA GT Championship raced in Monza, Jamie Campbell-Walter and Tom Coronel won the event in their Lister Storm, while Johnny Cecotto and Philipp Peter were victorious in N-GT. Peter, who claimed a fine debut win for the JMB Racing Ferrari 575 M Maranello with his team-mate Fabio Babini in Estoril last week, will be hoping to repeat the result.

And although the Championship might have been decided in the GT category, with Matteo Bobbi and Thomas Biagi taking an unassailable lead in the Drivers Championship, and their team BMS Scuderia Italia claiming the Teams title with their Ferrari 550 Maranello cars, the situation is much less clear in N-GT. Freisinger Motorsport and Team Maranello Concessionaires are still fighting for the Teams title, while Stephane Ortelli and Marc Lieb, Jamie Davies and Fabrizio De Simone all have a mathematical chance of taking the Drivers title. A record grid of 41 cars has applied to take part in this final round of 2003.

Heading for the final round of the 2003 season, the FIA GT Championship is looking good. With 41 cars applying to take part - an exemption over the normal maximum of 38 cars having been requested from the GT Commission, with the agreement of all the teams - this would be the largest grid, not counting the Proximus 24 Hours of Spa - since the GT1 days back in 1997.

Plenty remains to be decided, not least the titles in the N-GT category. Although Ortelli and Lieb only need one point to claim the Drivers title, and the team needs to make sure of four points to retain their Teams title, the fast Monza circuit could still reserve some surprises.

In GT, BMS Scuderia Italia has now made sure of both Team and Drivers titles, but only two points separate Gollin and Cappellari from Care Racing's Bryner and Calderari, in the battle for the runners-up position. In the Teams classification, Lister Racing is a comfortable second, but there is a close fight for third, between Care Racing, Creation Autosportif and Graham Nash Motorsport.

Newcomers to the GT category include Italian team Megadrive, which will be entering a Chrysler Viper GTS-R for Gabriele Matteuzzi and Piergiuseppe Perazzini, while Polish team Alda Motorsport will be returning with a Porsche 911 GT2, to be driven by Max Stanco, Mauro Casadei and Moreno Soli.

In the N-GT class, Autopalace should be back with their Ferrari 360 Modena, as will Yellow Racing, the Swiss team which already raced in Estoril. JVG Racing will be entering two Porsche 996 GT3-RS cars, one of which will be driven by father and son team of Horst Felbermayr Sr. and Jr. Italian team Mastercar plans to enter a Ferrari 360 Modena, to be driven by 2002 N-GT front-runner Andrea Montermini, and Italian driver Franco Bertoli. Another Italian team, AB Motorsport, enters a Porsche 996 GT3-RS for Antonio de Castro, Renato Premoli and Bruno Barboaro, while Autorlando, after its points finish in Estoril will have two Porsche 996 GT3-RS cars, one for Alessi, Mediani and Gay, as in Estoril, and the second for Marco Spinelli and Gabriele Sabatini, both GT regulars in past seasons.

As far as handicap weights are concerned, the nr 23 Ferrari will be the heaviest, with 70 kg, while the nr 22 will have 45 kg. The nr 14 Lister Storm will be reduced to 40 kg, the same as for the Estoril-winning nr 9 Ferrari 575 Maranello. The nr 2 Konrad Saleen has 10kg.

In N-GT, the nr 52 JMB Racing Ferrari 360 Modena will have 40 kg, as will the nr 88 TMC Ferrari. The nr 50 Freisinger Mortorsport Porsche 996 GT3-RS has 25 kg , and the 61 EMKA Racing Porsche has 20 kg. The newcomers in the GT category will have 60 kg, those in the N-GT category, 30 kg.

JMB RACING : LOOKING FORWARD TO MONZA

After a very difficult first season in the GT category, 2001 N-GT Champions JMB Racing took their first win on their first time out with the brand-new Ferrari 575 M Maranello. "It was really good, and everyone is delighted," Philipp Peter explained. "It will be a bit more difficult in Monza, and we will still be under pressure as it is an important race for us, as it is the home race for Ferrari, Pirelli and N.technology - as well as my team-mate Fabio Babini. I hope we will be able to fight for the final win, like we did in Estoril."

The last time the FIA GT Championship raced in Monza, Philipp Peter, then behind the wheel of an Autorlando Porsche 996 GT3-R, won the N-GT category with Johnny Cecotto. This time, he will be carrying 40 kg sucess ballast : "It is certainly not ideal that we have to carry the penalty weight, especially for Monza, as the hard braking and accelerating means that you will really feel the weight. But it's all part of the game. Monza is almost like my home track, as we have not been to Austria this year. It's a lovely track, close to home in Lugano for me. I'm really looking forward to it."

BOBBI AND BIAGI : CHAMPIONS ELECT

Third place in Estoril was enough to move Matteo Bobbi and Thomas Biagi out of the reach of the rest of the field in the fight for the GT Drivers title. "Before I won the title, I thought that afterwards I would just relax, but I've been twice as busy as before," Thomas Biagi explained. "It has been unbelievable - but very good ! This is my first title in my career, and that is very important to me. I am also pleased that I won it in such a professional Championship as the FIA GT, and even more so that I managed to win it in my first season. Monza is my home circuit, and it is very important to us that we have a good result, especially as the team is based near Milan too. I like the circuit; I've had two pole positions there over the past two years, but I haven't managed to win there, so it would be nice to close the season with a victory, just like we started it. As for the future, my target is to remain in the FIA GT Championship."

Bobbi is equally looking forward to the final race : "Now we will try for a good result in Monza, in front of our sponsors and friends. We will do our best. I think we have a good chance, as it's a nice track and we know it well, Thomas and I. It should be a good track for our car, with the long straight. But I think the new Ferrari will also be very competitive, and it should be a good fight ! This has been an incredible season, and it is really good to be closing the season in Monza - I am really looking forward to it."

TMC : A CLOSE FIGHT FOR N-GT TEAMS TITLE

With a second-place finish for Jamie Davies and Darren Turner in Estoril, Team Maranello Concessionaires is 14 points behind Freisinger Motorsport, with 18 points still in play for the N-GT Teams title in its first season, while Jamie Davies, 9.5 points behind Ortelli and Lieb, could claim the Drivers crown.

"This year has been a great learning experience for Team Maranello Concessionaires," team manager Rod Benoist explained. "We came to the Championship after winning the top National series in the UK in 2002 and we were determined to demonstrate our competitiveness consistently throughout this season. However, success is in the team's DNA - anything less is unacceptable and so we travel to Monza with one clear objective. To win. We know it will be tough - there would be little reward if not. The team is focused, motivated, determined and anxious to demonstrate their capabilities. Monza should be the most thrilling race of the year."

DE SIMONE STILL IN WITH A CHANCE

Fabrizio de Simone and Andrea Bertolini took their third win of the season in Estoril, having already set pole position and fastest lap, just like in Oschersleben. Although the team is out of the running for the Teams title, De Simone still has a mathematical chance of claiming the Drivers Championship.