When was the last season to see eight different drivers win a Grand Prix? Who has a good record at Monza and who doesn't among the WC contenders? And what achievement awaits Kimi Raikkonen should he win the Italian Grand Prix? Marcel Schot brings the answers and more anecdotes on the fourteenth round of 2003

The Hungarian Grand Prix was a truly remarkable race. With the youngest winner ever and also the youngest podium ever, a new era seems to be upon us in full force. Moreover, the oldest of the three podium finishers, Juan Pablo Montoya, is running a remarkable series of now seven consecutive podium finishes.

Besides Fernando Alonso's first win, the first in over twenty years for Renault and the first World Championship race for a Spaniard, the Hungarian Grand Prix had another first. After Ralph Firman's horrid crash, local hero Zsolt Baumgartner became the first Hungarian to participate in a World Championship race. Baumgartner's participation further internationalised the Formula One field, bringing the number of countries currently represented to no less than 13.

Another quite unique occurence was the lapping of World Champion Michael Schumacher. The German hasn't finished a race on a lap down without apparent problems since the 1996 Brazilian Grand Prix, when he was lapped by Damon Hill.

Alonso's win has brought the number of Grand Prix winners this year to a massive eight, which hasn't happened since 1985. It's unlikely that the record number of 11 Grand Prix winners from 1982 will be matched, but it is a big contrast to the last few years when we saw just three or four winners per year.

The upcoming race at Monza is of course Ferrari's home Grand Prix and that shows in the statistics. The Maranello team has won no less than 14 times - double the amount of McLaren, their closest followers. Since the arrival of Michael Schumacher in 1996, Ferrari always won the Italian Grand Prix on even years and lost it on odd years. Judging by the slump the team is enduring at the moment, their tendency to lose on odd years just might continue this year. However, it's Monza and the boys in red will no doubt give a little more effort for their home crowd, so don't count them out just yet.

Juan Pablo Montoya is another Championship candidate who has fond memories of Monza. In the 2001 race, the Colombian scored his debut victory on the Italian circuit. With two pole positions in two Italian Grands Prix, he certainly will be the man to beat on Saturday. Last year Montoya drove the fastest qualifying lap ever, something that's not very likely to be repeated this year with the new qualifying regulations.

For the third Championship candidate, Monza hasn't been a good place so far. In 2001 Kimi Raikkonen finished in seventh just outside the points, and last year his hopes of a podium finish went up in a puff of white smoke when his engine failed 30 laps into the race. However, a win for the Finn would not only put him in the lead in the Championship, it would also make him the first Finn to win the Italian Grand Prix. Even though Keke Rosberg and Mika Hakkinen were World Champions, they never managed to win the race in Monza. Both came close, though.

In the 1985 race Rosberg grabbed the lead at the start after having qualified second. With teammate Nigel Mansell on his tail, followed by Lotus driver Ayrton Senna and McLaren's Alain Prost, the Finn slowly increased his lead. Even when Mansell fell behind after having to make a pitstop after just four laps, Rosberg comfortably led the race. He kept the gap from Prost, who was now in second, around ten seconds until the tyre change after 28 laps.

Rosberg rejoined in second, 17 seconds behind Prost. However, the Williams driver was considerably faster than the Frenchman and closed in second after second. After 40 laps the Finn took the lead again and continued his pace to put Prost behind him quickly. However, the temperature in his engine started to increase and four laps later and ten seconds ahead of Prost he was forced to retire, leaving him incredibly disappointed, exclaiming "I can't believe it, I was going beautifully!"

The 1999 race will be remembered for Mika Hakkinen's rare mistake and subsequent emotional display in the wood next to the track. The Finn was leading after 29 laps and under pressure made one gear change too much, locked up the car and sent it into a spin, stalling the engine. After having thrown his steering wheel on the ground in a fit of rage, the Finn broke down behind a bush, unaware of the helicopter footage being broadcasted across the world.

These two occasions are not the only ones to show that leading at Monza isn't necessarily a ticket to victory. Jean Alesi retired from the lead in both 1994 and 1995, while David Coulthard also managed to do the same in 1995. Damon Hill did it in 1996 and Coulthard again in 1998.

These drivers just retired from the lead at Monza, but started the next race without having lost much sleep over it. Seventy years ago things went much worse. During the second heat of the Monza Grand Prix, on the old banked circuit, things went horribly wrong when Giuseppe Campari passed Baconin Borzacchini for the lead. Campari's Alfa started to slide and flew over the banking, followed by Borzacchini, Fernando Barbieri and Luigi Castelbarco.

While Barbieri and Castelbarco escaped unhurt, both Campari and Borzacchini were killed. Despite that, the race was continued and the same corner claimed a third victim - when leader Count Czaikowski's large Bugatti went wide. With three driver's deaths on a single day, it's one of the darkest days in racing history and most certainly the darkest day Monza has ever known.