April 09, 2002
Tamburello is the first corner from the start and cars brake heavily at its entrance. The corner is a left-handed S-bend which is entered in 3rd gear at 75 mph and exited in 4th gear at 125 mph as cars power up the straight to Villeneuve. This is a second S-bend that slows the approach to the forthcoming hairpin and slows cars down from 130 mph to 105 mph in 4th gear. Accelerating quickly up to 150 mph, cars almost immediately brake for Tosa, a tight hairpin from right to left taken in 2nd gear at around 55 mph. On exit, cars accelerate to 175 mph and climb towards Piratella. This is a somewhat blind left-hander that pulls -3.5g as drivers brake at its entrance, it is taken in 4th gear at 100 mph and accelerated away from at 160 mph. Despite its nature it is a corner well liked by most drivers.

The approach to Acque Minerali is downhill at 130 mph - a very bumpy and uncomfortable chicane that turns slowly right and finally sharply right with cars down to 70 mph and 3rd gear at its tightest point. Pulling away the track swings slightly left at 100 mph.

Variante Alta is next and, coming off a short straight, it is a fast chicane that can be tackled in 3rd gear - it certainly requires a 3rd-gear exit. It is entered in 6th gear at 170 mph and speeds of 75 mph are maintained through it. Drivers tend to take more chances at this chicane because it does have a safe run-off area.

Out of the chicane and the track plunges downhill through some stunning countryside, arriving at a sharpish double left-hander called Rivazza which swings the cars through 180 degrees. This requires very hard braking, down from 6th (180 mph) to 3rd gear (60 mph) at its entrance where a massive -3.8 g really tests the driver's strength. Shifting up briefly before changing down to tackle the final turn, which is taken at 80 mph, the cars arrive on a curving right-hand line and fly through the Variante Bassa, accelerating all the time up to 170 mph. The Tragurdo then looms up as a left-right chicane that feeds the pits and is taken in 2nd gear at around 55 mph. Cars then accelerate to 185 mph across the Start-Finish line.