Monza, Italy, Sept 15: The Italian Grand Prix, won by Ferrari's Michael Schumacher, was the fastest in formula one history. Schumacher's average speed of 247.585 kph, over 53 laps at formula one's quickest circuit yesterday, exceeded the previous record of 242.615 kph set at Monza in 1971.
That race was won by Britain's Peter Gethin in a BRM and remains in the record books as the closest finish -- the winner separated from Swedish runner-up Ronnie Peterson's march by 0.01 of a second.
France's Francois Cevert was 0.09 behind Gethin and Briton Mike Hailwood 0.18 adrift of the winner.

''I guess it is so long ago that I wasn't even alive at that stage when the first one was set,'' the 34-year-old Schumacher guessed, wrongly. He was born in 1969.



''I don't think very strongly about that (the record). Ten points and fastest lap and things like that, they give me far more pleasure.''


Bureau Report