The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is always an emotionally charged weekend, but especially so this year, as we mark the 30th anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s tragic passing at Imola in 1994.

Whenever we go racing, Senna is never far from our thoughts, but his influence on our team feels particularly poignant following our victory in Miami. More than most, Ayrton understood the importance of the team, famously saying: “There is no merit from a person, but from a team.”  

Lando’s first win epitomised this mentality. Delivered on the back of a major upgrade package, it wouldn’t have been possible without the work of those behind the scenes, who produced and installed the improvements ahead of time. That work has continued since, and this weekend in Imola, Oscar will be receiving the remainder of the upgrade package.  

Ahead of the race, we’ve gathered the thoughts of Lando, Oscar and Team Principal Andrea Stella, compiled a guide to the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, and we’ve got some tips on what to wear and a brand-new F1 icebreaker.

“I’m heading to Imola as a race winner, which feels good. It was amazing to walk into the MTC with the trophy and for everyone at the factory to take time out of their day and celebrate together. We’ve been through a lot together over the past six years, and now we want nothing more than to have more moments like this. 

“While at the MTC, I was also back in the sim to prepare with my engineers for this double header. We’re now back to getting our heads down, fully focused on the next race and how we can make further improvements. It’s been two years since we raced at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, but we’re ready to head back. It's one of my favourite races and I can’t wait to go racing around this iconic track in front of the awesome fans again.”  

“Imola up next! I didn’t get the final result I wanted in Miami, but it was one of my strongest weekends so far. It was great to celebrate with the team last week, but we’re all hungry for more, which shows just how far we’ve come.

“This is my first Grand Prix in Imola. Sadly, we were unable to race there last year, but we are so excited to be back in front of the fans and we’ll hopefully be able to put on a good show for them. I’ve been back with the team in engineering and sim sessions, and I feel very prepared. Hopefully, we’ll bring back some good points for the team. 

“After a wonderful result in Miami, the team have come together in Woking to celebrate the hard work and dedication that has got us to this point. This doesn’t mean our mission is over. This result has served to reinvigorate our goal to be consistently achieving wins and podiums, and we double down on our efforts. 

“The team have now reset as we turn our attention to the first European race of the year. Imola is one of the fastest circuits on the calendar and should offer some good opportunities for us to continue adding to our Championship points. Following the devastation that hit the region last year, we are delighted to be heading back and can’t wait to see the Italian fans once again.”  

Track insights

Having not appeared on the calendar since 2006, Imola returned as a venue in 2020 during the shortened COVID-19 campaign, where it reminded the world of why it’s one of F1’s most beloved circuits, and it has remained a fixture ever since.

For drivers, a myriad of factors combine to make Imola one of the most enjoyable circuits on the calendar. The narrow 4.909km track is packed full of medium to high-speed corners and proves a tough test for both driver and car.

The tightness of the track and its short length accentuate the high-speed feel of a lap, with minimal run-off areas and multiple gradient changes. Its anti-clockwise orientation also makes it a real strain on the neck.

The circuit wasn’t designed for cars to race side by side and has only one DRS detection point, so overtaking can be tough. Imola is one of those tracks where the importance of Qualifying is heightened. The best spot for making a move tends to be on the pit straight, which proceeds the flat-out final corner and is succeeded by a flat-out first turn. You’ll want to pay close attention to the Acque Minerali, Rivazza and Piratella corners as well, which showcase Imola’s old-school feel.

There have been some small changes since we last raced in Imola in 2022. The triple-sausage style kerbs have been replaced with concrete, serrated kerbs. This is to prevent drivers using them and should negate the risk of the car being dangerously launched into the air.  

The season so far

What a start to the season its been, with three podiums so far, including our first victory since 2021 in the Miami Grand Prix. We spent last week celebrating Lando’s landmark win with you all on social media and at the MTC, but behind the scenes, Lando, Oscar, and the team have been working hard to make this the norm, rather than an incredible one-off.

We remain third in the Constructors’ Championship, with 124 points, 59 ahead of fourth place.

F1 translations: Qualifying and Grand Prix bias

F1 is full of specialist slang and complicated jargon that can stump even the most avid of fans, which is why we’ll be explaining common F1 terminology ahead of each grand prix this season. This week, we’ll be explaining two in one, with Qualifying and Grand Prix bias…

This weekend, you’ll hear teams talking about the circuit’s Qualifying bias and why they might be setting their cars up to prioritise one-lap pace over race pace in Imola.

The circuit is narrow, which makes racing side-by-side and overtaking tricky. Whenever overtaking is more difficult, the importance of where drivers qualify and start the race from is more increased. Hence why there is a bias towards Qualifying.

Whereas, at a circuit such as the Bahrain International Circuit, overtaking is much more possible, meaning that a driver’s starting position is less relevant than how quick they are over a long-distance because there’s more chance of them gaining positions in the race.

There are several ways you can alternate between the two, but in general, for Qualifying, you simply want to set the car up to run as quickly as possible for one lap, without having to worry about tyre degradation. Whereas in the races, you need to be more strategic, setting the car up so that it can run as quickly as possible for as long as possible.

So any setup choice that may cause higher degradation - such as downforce levels or rear-wing selection - would be made with a view to whether we want to prioritise our race pace or our qualifying pace.

F1 icebreaker

Stuck for conversation with your F1-loving friends? Spark up a discussion with our F1 icebreaker…

Ayrton Senna scored seven consecutive poles at Imola between 1985 and 1991, which is an F1 record.

The fit: Modern icon

As we head towards the Monaco Grand Prix, you’ll need a look befitting of the world’s most glamorous race. Walking into the paddock in Monte Carlo is like stepping back in time, so the style needs to be vintage, and it needs to be timeless. Taking inspiration from our great liveries of yesteryear and classic F1 colourways, we’ve created a Monaco Heritage range that we know you’ll love.