Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix saw Formula 1 return to the iconic Imola circuit in 2020. The track had held F1 races between 1980 and 2006, including 26 times as the San Marino GP.

F1 initially only returned to Imola for the first Emilia Romagna GP as the series responded to the cancellations of races in Japan, the USA and Mexico. Covid-19 restrictions obliged F1 to alter its 2020 calendar, and in the 2021 season as Australia and China were still off limits.

But the success of the first two Emilia Romagna Grand Prix saw F1 agree to sign a long-term contract with Imola. Although Formula 1 did not return to the track, which is officially called the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, in 2023 amidst flooding in northern Italy.

The 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix also marked the final running of the race, at least for now, as Imola’s contract with F1 expired at the end of that year. Imola bosses remain keen on bringing Formula 1 back to Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region in the future, if the price is right.

History of the Emilia Romagna GP and F1 at Imola

The idea of Imola having a circuit originated in 1950 to offer the local car manufacturers like Ferrari a test facility. Ferrari also sent 1952 and 1953 Formula 1 champion Alberto Ascari for test runs in the Ferrari 340 Sport in 1952. F1 machinery would not hit the circuit until 1963.

Imola initially welcomed Formula 1 to its roads for non-championship events before hosting the 1980 Italian GP instead of Monza. But its spot on the F1 calendar changed in 1981 to be the San Marino GP. Even though the mountainous microstate is almost 100km (62m) away.

F1 continued to visit Imola for the San Marino GP through to 2006 with Ferrari and Williams often dominant. Both teams won eight Grand Prix, eclipsing McLaren with six wins. Michael Schumacher also won seven times, four more than next-best Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.

Yet Imola, which was renamed as the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in 1988, fell off the F1 calendar after the 2006 season. It also coincided with Schumacher retiring for the first time. So, a cynic could argue F1 scrapped it as Ferrari did not need two home races.

Another case for Imola dropping off the calendar was that the circuit could no longer afford to host Formula 1. But F1’s needs for further races in 2020 saw it return to the historic track. Imola had also invested heavily over the intervening years to upgrade the circuit’s facilities.

Imola replaced its outdated pit lane and paddock complex to bring the circuit up to modern standards. The changes Imola made ultimately helped it to stage Formula 1 races again, as well as the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the World Superbike Championship.

Imola is one of the most dangerous circuits in F1

Imola has always held a reputation for being among the most dangerous circuits in F1. Work to modify the circuit over the years has not taken away some of the risks associated with the track. The crucial Tamburello corner, for example, built a reputation with its uneven surface.

It was also through Tamburello where Nelson Piquet crashed heavily at 200 mph at the 1997 San Marino GP. While a front wing failure saw Gerhard Berger have a big crash at nearly 180 mph in the 1989 race. The collision with the wall saw his Ferrari become engulfed in flames.

The 1994 San Marino GP was one of the darkest weekends in F1’s history, though, as Roland Ratzenberger and Senna both lost their lives. Rubens Barrichello had also escaped with only minor injuries after crashing in practice before tragedies struck on the Saturday and Sunday.

Tragedy befell the 1994 San Marino GP as Ratzenberger and Senna died

Ratzenberger lost his life after crashing in qualifying when the front wing of his Simtek came adrift through Villeneuve. The Austrian then ran off the circuit and crashed into the concrete wall at almost 195 mph. But the 1994 San Marino GP went ahead as scheduled the next day.

The race would ultimately secure Imola’s heavy place in the hearts of Formula 1 drivers and fans. Senna, one of the greatest F1 drivers, crashed into a concrete barrier from the lead of the race for Williams. His car veered straight on at Tamburello with little time to lose speed.

Ratzenberger and Senna’s deaths led to many safety improvements in F1, including changes to improve the crash barriers, redesigning circuits and tyre barriers, higher safety standards and higher sills on the cockpit. The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) also reformed.

What is the Imola circuit like?

Imola is one of the fantastic old-school circuits on the Formula 1 calendar. The track nestled in the Emilia Romagna region, south-east of Bologna, delivers a high-speed contest around a challenging layout. Changes to the Imola track have even increased the speed of the circuit.

Daniil Kvyat exclaimed the merits of Imola in June 2020 after driving the AlphaTauri AT01 on a filming day. He noted, via the F1 website: “Imola is a track which is really nice to drive with lots of fast turns, and I think it’s a track which really deserves to return to the F1 calendar.”

AlphaTauri lapped Imola amid the delay to the 2020 F1 season due to Covid-19. Pierre Gasly drove for the team at the time, and added: “It was special to drive a Formula 1 car at Imola, which is one of my favourite tracks.”

What makes Imola so special is the high-speed nature of the dangerous circuit littered with iconic corners. Even the first real corner is iconic as drivers arrive at speed into the Variante Tamburello chicane. Turn 1 is only a high-speed kink that passes directly next to the pit wall.

Changeable conditions for the 2021 Emilia Romagna GP even saw Lewis Hamilton slide into the barriers at the Tosa hairpin of Turn 7. The F1 legend could not stay on track whilst trying to lap future Mercedes teammate George Russell, then of Williams, as he fought for the win.

Tosa also leads into another iconic corner at Turn 9, Piratella, as drivers flick left before they run down into the legendary Turn 11-12-13 sequence of Acque Minerali. A lap of Imola also ends with the iconic Rivazza left-handers of the tricky Turn 17 and the final real corner, T18.

Winners of the F1 Emilia Romagna GP