Emilia Romagna GP

• Track features

  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.

• What's it like in Emilia-Romagna?

  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.

• 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, Ayrton 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