This weekend, the Marussia F1 Team will embark on the final European round of the 2013 season, the Formula 1 Gran Premio D’Italia at the historic Autodromo Nazionale di Monza near Milan, Italy.

'La Pista Magica', as the Italians call it, has a circuit length of 5.793kms and 11 corners, 7 right-handers and four left. It played host to its first Grand Prix in 1950, which speaks volumes about its heritage and the respect it commands amongst the F1 fraternity and race fans alike.

Jules Bianchi: "My first time racing a Formula 1 car at Monza will be one of the greatest moments of my debut season for sure. Of course, I took part in Free Practice 1 here last year and have competed here in other formulae, so I know just what a special circuit it is to drive. More than that, it is the atmosphere, the fans and all the history attached to Monza that makes it so fantastic. I also have a nice connection with the fans, and this year it will be nice to enjoy their support racing for the Marussia F1 Team. We had a very positive qualifying session in Spa which gave us all a great boost, but Sunday showed us how hard it is to hang on to the opportunities we create for ourselves. The remaining races will be a tough challenge for us, but we know what we have to do and we are pushing hard behind the scenes to find everything we can from our current package."

Max Chilton: "It's hard to believe that Monza marks the end of the European rounds of my debut season and I expect the long-haul races will come thick and fast as well! In Spa we had the very satisfying graduation to Q2, then quite a tough time of it in the race, but on a personal level I have been getting closer and closer to where I want to be, particularly in terms of qualifying pace. I want to maintain that momentum in Monza and each of the remaining rounds, now that I have a stronger bank of experience. I'm really looking forward to racing a Formula 1 car at Monza; I know from previous formulae that it's a thrilling race in many respects and a pretty special circuit to drive with its high-speed/low-downforce characteristics. Although it would be nice to repeat our qualifying performance in Spa, I think we understand just how hard we have to work to make the most of our current package, but it's reassuring to know that our strategic calls are the right ones when the right opportunities do come our way."

John Booth, Team Principal: "Our qualifying performances in Spa gave the whole Team a real lift and served as a reminder of what we can achieve when opportunities such as those arise. We continue to work hard at extracting the maximum from our current package and there is a great deal of activity taking place behind the scenes to ensure we leave no stone unturned. Equally, we are confident in our ability to take our chances when the right circumstances transpire, as they can make all the difference for us in the remaining eight races of the season. We have a few mechanical developments for Monza and we'll be combining those with some existing parts to meet the demands of lowest downforce circuit of the season. This track is a real classic and it is not surprising therefore that we have one of our biggest contingents of guests this year accompanying us."