When you have the Monza circuit in your backyard, it’s not easy to ignore the return to the “Autodromo” of the sport prototypes that are challenging each others in the Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.

The Monza Park, surrounding the track with its secular trees ,  dispensed a full variety of light situations: overcast, sunshine, rain from dusk till the end of the tests in pitch-dark.

Davide Rigon’s Ferrari 488 GTE showing-off at Lesmo 1. Nikon D810, 105 mm (105.0 mm ƒ/2.8) 1/400″ ƒ/8 ISO 500

Safety first at Lesmo 1. Nikon D810, 24 mm (14-24.0 mm ƒ/2.8) 1/400″ ƒ/8 ISO 500

That’s what I mean. Nikon D810, 85 mm (85.0 mm ƒ/1.4) 1/400″ ƒ/8 ISO 500

Nakajima’s Toyota exiting the Second Chicane. Nikon D810, 105 mm (105.0 mm ƒ/2.8) 1/100″ ƒ/2.8 ISO 1600

Pierre Ragues’ Alpine A470-Gibson takes over Christian Ried’s Porsche 911 RSR (991) in the Tribune straight stretch. Nikon D810, 120 mm (24-120.0 mm ƒ/4.0) 1/250″ ƒ/6.3 ISO 800

Nikon autofocus trying to make sens between light and dark. Nikon D810, 105 mm (105.0 mm ƒ/2.8) 1/100″ ƒ/2.8 ISO 1600

LMP1 and LMP2 prototypes entering the Ascari Chicane. Nikon D750, 400 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.,6) 1/1250″ ƒ/5.6 ISO 200

Two private Ferrari 488 GTE chase each others at the Ascari Chicane. Nikon D750, 400 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/1250″ ƒ/5.6 ISO 200

Mathias Beche’s Oreca 07-Gibson among the daisys at the Ascari Chicane. Nikon D750, 400 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/1250″ ƒ/5.6 ISO 200

Stefan Mucke on Ford GT entering a rainy Second Chicane.. Nikon D810, 105 mm (105.0 mm ƒ/2.8) 1/160″ ƒ/2.8 ISO 1600

Davis Cheng takes to the gravel with the Oreca 07-Gibson at the Ascari Chicane. Nikon D750, 330 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/1250″ ƒ/6.3 ISO 200

Kamui Kabayashi testing the Toyota TS050 brakes while taking over Michael Wainwright’s Porsche 911 RSR (991) entering the Ascari Chicane. Nikon D750, 400 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/1250″ ƒ/6.3 ISO 200

Michael Christensen engaged in a discussion with his Porsche 911 RSR over the direction to take at the Ascari Chicane Nikon D810, 105 mm (105.0 mm ƒ/2.8) 1/800″ ƒ/2.8 ISO 64

Never discuss with a Porsche. Nikon D750, 210 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/1250″ ƒ/6.3 ISO 200

Porsche 911 RSR with Michael Christensen at the First Chicane. Nikon D750, 280 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6)

Darren Turner’s Aston Martin Vantage V8 at the Ascari Chicane. Nikon D810, 105 mm (105.0 mm ƒ/2.8) 1/800″ ƒ/2.8 ISO 64

Timo Bernhard on Porsche 919 Hybrid entering the Parabolica. Nikon D810, 20 mm (20 mm ƒ/1.8) 1/1250″ ƒ/4 ISO 64

Bruno Senna on Oreca 07-Gibson at the entrance of the Parabolica. Nikon D810, 20 mm (20 mm ƒ/1.8) 1/1250″ ƒ/4 ISO 64

Michael Christensen on the official Porsche 911 RSR at the Parabolica. Nikon D810, 20 mm (20 mm ƒ/1.8) 1/1250″ ƒ/4 ISO 64

Thomas Flhor on Ferrari 488 GTE at the exit of the Parabolica. Nikon D810, 24 mm (24-120.0 mm ƒ/4.0) 1/1000″ ƒ/4 ISO 64

Oreca 07-Gibson during pit-stop and change of driver. Nikon D750, 500 mm (200-500.0 mm ƒ/5.6) 1/1250″ ƒ/8 ISO 1600

Pit-stop test in front of the Aston Martin garage. Nikon D750, 500 mm (200-500.0 mm ƒ/5.6) 1/500″ ƒ/5.6 ISO 1600

The appeal of the beautiful bodies in their beauty, and of the ugly ones, in their colorful ugliness impelled our right forefinger to keep pressing the shutter button in search of the perfect shot.

The good news is that, this time, the organization had set-up a shuttle service for the photographers to move from a location to the other, so that it was possible to catch the feel of the competition from perspectives we had not taken in consideration before, due to the distance from each others.

The bad news is that we took zillions of shots that we had to sort, label, select and, eventually, publish in an order that can make sense to the uninformed public.

A view of the pit-lane at Monza. Nikon D750, 400 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/800″ ƒ/8 ISO 1600

Porsche and Toyota measure each others full speed in front of the Tribune. Nikon D750, 500 mm (200-500.0 mm ƒ/5.6) 1/1250″ ƒ/8 ISO 1600

Three cars entering the Lesmo First Curve. Nikon D750, 300 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/500″ ƒ/8 ISO 500

Romain Dumas’ Alpine A470-Gibson entering the First of Lesmo. Nikon D750, 300 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/500″ ƒ/8 ISO 500

Michael Christensen on the official Porsche 911 RSR in the disengagement of the Second Chicane. Nikon D810, 105 mm (105.0 mm ƒ/2.8) 1/125″ ƒ/2.8 ISO 1600

Antony Davidson’s Toyota TS050-Hybrid at the First of Lesmo. Nikon D750, 200 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/500″ ƒ/8 ISO 500

Michael Wainwright ‘s Porsche 911 RSR (991) at the First Curve of Lesmo. Nikon D750, 200 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/500″ ƒ/8 ISO 500

Mathias Beche’s Oreca 07-Gibson. Nikon D750, 200 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/500″ ƒ/8 ISO 500

Amateur and pro Porsche 911 RSR exiting Lesmo 1. Nikon D750, 200 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/320″ ƒ/8 ISO 500

Paul Dalla Lana’s Aston Martin Vantage V8 entering Lesmo 1 Nikon D750, 400 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/800″ ƒ/8 ISO 500

Tomas Flohr’s Ferrari 488 GTE entering Lesmo 2. Nikon D750, 400 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/800″ ƒ/8 ISO 500

Roman Rusinov’s Oreca 07-Gibson transiting Lesmo 2. Nikon D750, 400 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/1600″ ƒ/5.6 ISO 500

Porsche 919 Hybrid steared by Neel Jani takes on Pierre Ragues’ Alpine A470-Gibson at the First Chicane. Nikon D810, 120 mm (24-120.0 mm ƒ/4.0)

Weng Sun Mok on a Ferrari 288 GTE at the First Chicane. Nikon D810, 85 mm (85.0 mm ƒ/1.4)

Porsche 911 RSR (991) takes off on the kerb at the First Chicane. Nikon D810, 105 mm (105.0 mm ƒ/2.8) 1/100″ ƒ/10 ISO 64

Toyota TS050-Hybrid N.8 chasing Ferrari 488 GTE N.71 at the Second Chicane. Nikon D810, 300 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/100″ ƒ/10 ISO 64

Bruno Senna on Oreca 07-Gibson at the entrance of the Second Chicane. Nikon D810, 300 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/125″ ƒ/10 ISO 64

Andy Prialulx on Ford GT licks the gravel at the exit of the Second Chicane. Nikon D810, 220 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/125″ ƒ/11 ISO 64

Porsche 911 RSR (991) with Michael Wainwright at the wheel. Nikon D810, 250 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/160″ ƒ/11 ISO 64

Canadian Paul Dalla Lana on Aston Martin Vantage V8 at the exit of the Second Chicane. Nikon D810, 250 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/160″ ƒ/11 ISO 64

Porsche 911 RSR with Richard Lietz at the Ascari Chicane. Nikon D810, 310 mm (80-400.0 mm ƒ/4.5-5.6) 1/160″ ƒ/10 ISO 64

Ho-Pin Tung on a Oreca 07-Gibson at the exit of the Ascari Chicane. Nikon D810, 500 mm (200-500.0 mm ƒ/5.6) 1/160″ ƒ/10 ISO 64

During my younger years, as a fan of the races, cars run strictly on gasoline. A while ago I saw the fastest Peugeot and Audi prototypes rocketing at the Le Mans race running on diesel power. Today, front runners Porsche and Toyota race on hybrid cars. A sign of the times.

(Testo italiano qui)