With an eight-race stretch in the next 11 weeks, the Formula 1 season is about to go into overdrive.

Discounting Canada, this weekend’s Emilia Romagna will officially kickstart a hectic European leg of the season. The likes of Monaco, Great Britain, Hungary and Belgium await as the calendar ramps up before the summer break. It’ll be as thrilling as a lap of the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit. Speaking of which…

The much-loved Italian circuit made its return to the F1 calendar in 2020 and has continued to cement its position as one of the most iconic traditional tracks there is. Fast and narrow, the circuit is as demanding as it is adored.

To prepare you, we’ve gathered the thoughts of Lando, Oscar and Team Principal Andrea Stella, compiled a handy track guide, and detailed how you can get your hands on our upcoming merch drop.

Critical info

Round	6
Where	Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari
When	19 - 21 May
Lights out	15:00 local / 14:00 MTC
Follow	The website and the McLaren App for LIVE commentary and team radio

"I’m looking forward to racing in Imola and getting the triple header underway. It’s a fast technical track, which can make it difficult to read. However, it’s got some iconic features that make it a fun one to drive.

“The result in Miami wasn’t what we had hoped for, but we’ve done well at this track historically with back-to-back podiums in the last two years. Whilst we’re not in that fight this year just yet, the circuit holds some good memories. I’m going into this weekend feeling prepared having been in the sim and spending time back in the factory, so let’s get out there and keep pushing.”

“I’m excited for my first race weekend in Imola. It’s a cool, fast track with some great features so I am looking forward to getting out there. We’ve done a full review of Miami and taken as many learnings as possible into the upcoming weekend. I’ve been back at the factory with the engineers and on the sim to ensure I’m ready to hit the ground running. Thanks to the team for all the work they’re doing, let’s keep our heads down and get back racing.”

Of a certain vintage

Just because a circuit is old, doesn’t make it old school, but with Imola, that terminology is very much correct. The Italian circuit is a timeless classic, a masterpiece that never gets old.

That’s not to say it’s run down or decrepit, though - far from it. Imola is in great shape following renovations to the paddock and the pits ahead of its return in 2020. Changes were made to the track as well, with the aim of making it faster and better for wheel-to-wheel racing, whilst retaining its traditional look and feel. Those changes worked to an extent, but the circuit remains notoriously tricky to overtake on, so a strong qualifying will be critical.

As well as being crucial, qualifying should also be epic. The high-speed circuit might not be designed for side-by-side racing, but its narrow 4.909km layout featuring multiple gradient changes and minimal run-off areas makes for a scintillating lap. Acque Minerali or Rivazza are among the most famous sequences of corners on the calendar, and for good reason. 

That’s not to say there aren’t any opportunities to overtake, the final and first turns are taken pretty much flat out and sit at either end of a DRS zone, meaning that moves are possible here, ahead of the first chicane.

The race used to be called the San Marino Grand Prix, but now goes by the name Emilia Romagna, which is the region that encapsulates Imola. Its history is tinged with sadness, as it was at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit where Ayrton Senna was tragically killed 29 years ago, following a high-speed crash. Only one day earlier, fellow driver Roland Ratzenberger had died during qualifying. We’ll be paying our respects to both drivers on what is certain to be an emotional weekend in Italy.

Last time out

We endured a tough weekend in Miami last time out as Lando and Oscar were unable to make up any ground following a difficult qualifying session. Their efforts were made trickier by a healthy helping of misfortunate, as Lando was hit from behind by Nyck de Vries on Lap 1 and Oscar suffered from mechanical issues.

It’s hoped that the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit will be more suited to the MCL60’s strengths than Miami, as we look to add to our points tally. We currently sit fifth in the standings, with 14 points.

Setting the scene

The Emilia-Romagna region is beautiful, filled with colourful buildings and some of Italy’s most well-preserved castles. If you get tired of wandering around the winding medieval streets, then you can escape to the gorgeous North Adriatic Sea coastline.

Now, this is Italy, so there’s no shortage of incredible food to shout about. Emilia-Romagna is famous for its fresh-filled pasta, such as cappelletti, tortellini and ravioli. It is also home to meats such as Mortadella and Prosciutto di Parma, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

“After a positive race in Baku, we had a difficult event in Miami in which we scored no points. The team have reset and are ready to go again in Imola and start the triple header ahead of us. The activity at the factory keeps being fervent as we work to prepare for the next round of upgrades that will be introduced in a few races, which will make the car more competitive.

“In the coming races, our focus is to get back fighting for points. Imola is an interesting track for the drivers, with a fast pace and a variety of corners. We’ve had good results here in the past, so we aim to use that positivity whilst remaining focused on the challenges ahead in the short and long term."

Set your alarms 

Free Practice 1	07:30 ET / 12:30 BST / 09:30 AET
Free Practice 2	11:00 ET / 16:00 BST / 01:00 AET
Free Practice 3	06:30 ET / 11:30 BST / 01:30 AET
Qualifying	10:00 PT / 15:00 BST / 00:00 AET
Race	09:00 PT / 14:00 BST / 23:00 AET

Stat pack

• Imola has hosted races under three different titles: the Italian Grand Prix, the San Marino Grand Prix, and the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 

• We have finished on the podium at Imola 21 times 

• Alain Prost, Senna and David Coulthard have all won for McLaren in Imola

• Lando scored successive podiums at Imola, finishing third in 2021 and 2022 

• Senna’s seven consecutive poles at Imola between 1985 and 1991 is an F1 record 

The fit: Royally retro 

Want to one-up your friends and get your hands on a royalty retro merch drop before anyone else? We’ll be releasing our majestic Triple Crown collection in the coming days and McLaren Plus members can gain access first!