Imola

The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, commonly known as Imola, is a historic Formula 1 venue located in the picturesque Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. The circuit lies just a short distance from the Ferrari headquarters in Maranello, making it a circuit closely tied to the iconic team. Named after Ferrari's founder, Enzo Ferrari, and his son Dino Ferrari, Imola is often regarded as a "home" race for Ferrari fans and the team itself.

Imola has been part of the Formula 1 calendar since 1980, initially replacing Monza for a brief period, before becoming the home of the San Marino Grand Prix in 1981. In 2021, following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Imola returned to the calendar as the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and has since become a regular fixture.

The track, originally built in 1953, was a high-speed circuit for many years. Although modifications were made to improve safety, especially after the tragic events of the 1994 season, the layout still retains its classic charm with a blend of high-speed corners and technical sections.

Imola remains one of the most demanding tracks for drivers, featuring a mixture of fast corners such as Acque Minerali, Alta, and Tosa which are split by long straights and narrow low-speed corners. Aside from the little room for error due to grass and gravel traps alongside the road, there are also numerous blind corners to deal with because of the elevation changes around the circuit. Imola therefore requires the drivers to be on their toes all the time.

While Imola has a reputation for breathtaking races and dramatic moments, the circuit also has a dark history. In 1994, it was the site of two devastating accidents that forever marked the sport. First of all, Roland Ratzenberger lost his life during qualifying at the Villeneuve corner. The next day, Ayrton Senna, one of Formula 1’s greatest drivers, tragically passed away in a crash at the Tamburello corner. In the wake of these tragedies, the circuit was reconfigured with safety improvements, including new chicanes at Tamburello and Villeneuve corners, ensuring the safety of drivers while preserving the essence of the track.

Despite being named after Ferrari's founders, Imola was historically difficult for the Scuderia Ferrari team. Between 1984 and 1998, no Ferrari driver won at Imola, with British teams like McLaren and Williams dominating. However, in 1999, Ferrari fans were rewarded when Michael Schumacher clinched the victory at Imola, starting a dominant run. Schumacher would go on to win an additional six races at the venue, setting a record with seven victories.

Hamilton started racing in Formula 1 just one year after Imola was taken off the calendar in 2006. The Brit first tackled this track in his Mercedes during the 2020 F1 season as Imola was used as a replacement for races that could not go on due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The seven-time world champion managed to win at his first race around the circuit. In 2021, however, he dropped points in the championship starting from pole position in a wet Imola. Hamilton parked his Mercedes in the gravel, only to reverse back onto the racetrack and recover to second. Since the new regulations in 2022, the Brit has not had success at the Emilia-Romagna GP and failed to take a top five finish.