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The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari (commonly known as Imola) is a permanent racing circuit which held the 1980 Italian Grand Prix and all subsequent runnings of the San Marino Grand Prix until 2006, as the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix from 2020 through 2022. The circuit is notorious as the home of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix weekend during which both Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna were killed.

Circuit History[]

Circuit Layouts[]

1953-1972[]

The Imola circuit is basically a road following a small river, the Santurno, with a return looping over a couple of small hills. At almost no point of the original layout was the track truly straight, with made it challenging and a favorite for both drivers and spectators.

The start/finish line and pits were on a very short straight, in between a flat-out sweeping right and a tiny left kink. After another very short straight, it enters a very wide radius 60° left, called Tamburello. This was followed by the longest straight on the track, roughly 12/3 km, before a short right kink, just before the tight 150° left, known as Tosa. Tosa is where the track starts to head uphill while bending very gently right. After about 200 meters, the track flattens out for about 100 meters before starting downhill as the cars enter the 75° left known as Piratella. At the bottom of a gully is a pair of righthanders, with a small bridge over a creek between them. The first bend is a gentle 45°, but just after the crossing is a deceptive 90° right. The complex was originally named Castellaccio.

The track now went a full kilometer before the next real corner, but almost no part of this section was truly straight. After Castellaccio the track starts uphill again, but a gentler slope, and a slight bend to the left led to a short straight to the top of the hill. But before the crest was reached, the track started bending left again, making this very fast section almost blind. Just before the end of the section (but still heading downhill) there is a quick right flick, hitting two righthanders, both close to 90°, with about 100 meters between them. The first is tighter than the second, and the track hits its lowest point at the exit of the second. This complex is known as Rivazza, with the two corners often described as first or second Rivazza, as they are quite different in their characteristics.

After Rivazza is a flatout sweeping right, leading back to the pits. The track originally measured 5.018 km.

1973[]

The concerns of safety caused the unnamed sweeping right before the pits to be altered by the addition of a "bus stop" style chicane. The cars first made a fairly quick right-left onto a new, ~100 meter straight, followed by a slow tighter left-right with about 20 meters between them. The pit entrance was now on driver's right, just before the second left. The new complex was called Variante Bassa, and the track now measured 5.122 km.

The Castellaccio section was also changed to the name frequently used by the locals to describe the spring nearby, Acque Minerali.

1974-1980[]

Another change in the interests of safety was made at the blind crest after Acque Minerali, with the addition of a moderately quick right-left chicane, called Variante Alta. Quite possibly because of improvements in the technique of measurement, the track length was reduced by 62 meters to 5.060 km.

1981-1994[]

Imola1980

The original layout of the Imola circuit featured several flat-out sections connected by tight hairpins. At first, the run from Rivazza (map bottom left) and Tosa (top right) was flat out, as was the run from Acque Minerali to Rivazza. This meant that drivers reached very high speeds through Tamburello and Villeneuve. However, by 1980, the track was modified to slow cars slightly by adding a tight double-chicane between Rivazza and the Start/Finish line.

From the start line, the circuit ran through a quick left-hander (Tamburello) which was taken flat-out. From here, a short straight leads to a flat right-hander (Villeneuve) and tight left (Tosa). Following a short straight and a quick sweeping left hander lies Acque Minerali, a tight right-left-right chicane. Over a crest is the right-left chicane, Variante Alta. Then down the hill to the double left hand Rivazza turns. Then back up the hill for a quick right-left and slower left-right (Variante Bassa) and on to the finish line.

Over 14 years on this layout, numerous major accidents occurred. Many of these, including seperate terrifying crashes involving Nelson Piquet, Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto, occurred at the notorious Tamburello Curve. Tamburello was a flat-out left-hander with very little run-off and a concrete wall outside of the track.

In the Friday practice session of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, Rubens Barrichello was injured at Variante Bassa when his car was launched over the kerbs into a tyre barrier at high speed. On Saturday, after damaging his front wing on a previous lap, Roland Ratzenberger was killed when he failed to negotiate the Villeneuve corner and crashed heavily into the concrete wall at around 200mph, fatally fracturing his neck. The following day, during the race, three-time World Champion Ayrton Senna was also killed when his Williams-Renault went straight on at Tamburello and he hit the concrete wall at around 135mph, also fracturing his neck. In addition, a piece of Senna's suspension wishbone penetrated the driver's helmet, causing potentially fatal injuries.

In response to the accidents at the 1994 event, the FIA demanded that changes must be made to the circuit to improve the safety of the drivers. These changes were made ahead of the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix.

1995-2006[]

Imola1995

Numerous changes to the Imola circuit were made from the 1995 event onwards:

  • Tamburello Curve was transformed into a much slower chicane, and the concrete run-off was replaced by gravel.
  • Villeneuve corner was changed from a fast right-hander to a slow left-right chicane.
  • The Acque Minerali chicane was removed, and replaced by a double right-hander.
  • Variante Alta was flattened and tightened slightly.
  • The first chicane of Variante Bassa was removed, leaving a fast right hander, and a slow left-right chicane.

This layout of the Imola Circuit was used until 2006 after which the event was removed from the calendar.

Current[]

Imola2010

In an attempt to reinstate the circuit into the Formula One calendar, the circuit was renovated in 2010. The pit lane and garages were demolished and replaced by a modern, extended complex. Variante Bassa was also removed, so that the circuit now runs flat-out from Rivazza to Tamburello. In 2008, the circuit was given a 1T FIA rating, allowing for F1 test events to be held there. In 2011 the circuit was upgraded to a 1 rating, allowing for F1 events to be held there. As yet, however, the circuit has not been reinstated to the calendar.

Following the delayed start to the 2020 Formula One season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a number of races postponed or canceled, it was announced on 24 July that Formula One would return to Imola as the 13th round of the season on 1 November.

Event history[]

The following is a list of Formula One World Championship events held at the Imola circuit:

Year Event Winning Driver Winning Constructor
1980 Italian Grand Prix Brazil Nelson Piquet United Kingdom Brabham-Ford Cosworth
1981 San Marino Grand Prix Brazil Nelson Piquet United Kingdom Brabham-Ford Cosworth
1982 San Marino Grand Prix France Didier Pironi Italy Ferrari
1983 San Marino Grand Prix France Patrick Tambay Italy Ferrari
1984 San Marino Grand Prix France Alain Prost United Kingdom McLaren-TAG
1985 San Marino Grand Prix Italy Elio de Angelis United Kingdom Lotus-Renault
1986 San Marino Grand Prix France Alain Prost United Kingdom McLaren-TAG
1987 San Marino Grand Prix United Kingdom Nigel Mansell United Kingdom Williams-Honda
1988 San Marino Grand Prix Brazil Ayrton Senna United Kingdom McLaren-Honda
1989 San Marino Grand Prix Brazil Ayrton Senna United Kingdom McLaren-Honda
1990 San Marino Grand Prix Italy Riccardo Patrese United Kingdom Williams-Renault
1991 San Marino Grand Prix Brazil Ayrton Senna United Kingdom McLaren-Honda
1992 San Marino Grand Prix United Kingdom Nigel Mansell United Kingdom Williams-Renault
1993 San Marino Grand Prix France Alain Prost United Kingdom Williams-Renault
1994 San Marino Grand Prix Germany Michael Schumacher United Kingdom Benetton-Ford Cosworth
1995 San Marino Grand Prix United Kingdom Damon Hill United Kingdom Williams-Renault
1996 San Marino Grand Prix United Kingdom Damon Hill United Kingdom Williams-Renault
1997 San Marino Grand Prix Germany Heinz-Harald Frentzen United Kingdom Williams-Renault
1998 San Marino Grand Prix United Kingdom David Coulthard United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes
1999 San Marino Grand Prix Germany Michael Schumacher ItalyFerrari
2000 San Marino Grand Prix Germany Michael Schumacher Italy Ferrari
2001 San Marino Grand Prix Germany Ralf Schumacher United Kingdom Williams-BMW
2002 San Marino Grand Prix Germany Michael Schumacher Italy Ferrari
2003 San Marino Grand Prix Germany Michael Schumacher Italy Ferrari
2004 San Marino Grand Prix Germany Michael Schumacher Italy Ferrari
2005 San Marino Grand Prix Spain Fernando Alonso France Renault
2006 San Marino Grand Prix Germany Michael Schumacher Italy Ferrari
2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Germany Mercedes
2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Netherlands Max Verstappen Austria Red Bull Racing-Honda
2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Netherlands Max Verstappen Austria Red Bull-RBPT
2023 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Race Cancelled due to excessive flood.[1]

Quotes[]

I think its a great race track. It's got elevation. It's almost like a road track. It is an artificial circuit but they have managed to combine the landscape of the Imola track very, very well indeed. I think it does provide a very enjoyable circuit for the grand prix circuit.
John WatsonEurosport interviewed him after the first qualifying session of the 1990 San Marino Grand Prix
The spectator area here is nearly packed to capacity. Motor racing, in particular Ferrari racing is almost a religion to these people. Their enthusiasm adds a unique atmosphere to the first race of the European season.
Matthew LorenzoEurosport interview him after the second qualifying of the 1990 San Marino Grand Prix

Notes[]


V T E Circuits
AdelaideAidaAin-DiabAintreeAlbert ParkAlgarveAnderstorpAustinAVUSBakuBarcelonaBoavistaBrands HatchBremgartenBuddhBuenos AiresCaesars PalaceClermont-FerrandDallasDetroitDijonDoningtonEstorilFujiHanoiHockenheimHungaroringIgora DriveImolaIndianapolisInterlagosIstanbulJacarepaguáJaramaJeddahJerezKyalamiLe MansLong BeachLosailMagny-CoursMarina BayMexico CityMiamiMonsantoMonte CarloMontjuïcMont-TremblantMontrealMonzaMosportMugelloNivelles-BaulersNürburgringPaul RicardPedralbesPescaraPhoenixPort ImperialPrince GeorgeRed Bull RingReimsRiversideRouenSakhirSebringSepangShanghaiSilverstoneSochiSpa-FrancorchampsSuzukaValenciaWatkins GlenYas MarinaYeongamZandvoortZeltwegZolder
Other Circuits
BrooklandsDavidstowFioranoGoodwoodLinas-MontlhéryOntarioOulton ParkPauPosillipoRicardo TormoSnettertonSolitudeSyracuseVallelungaWestmeadLas Vegas
Bold indicates a circuit on the 2022 calendar.
The Red Bull Ring was previously known as the "A1-Ring" and before that the "Österreichring".
V T E Italy Italian Grand Prix
Circuits Monza (1950 - 1979, 1981 - Present), Imola (1980)
Monza2000
Races 19501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
European Championship Races 193119321935193619371938
Non-Championship Races 1921192219231924192519261927192819331934194719481949
V T E San Marino San Marino Grand Prix
Circuits Imola (1981-2006)
Imola 1981
Races 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006
V T E Emilia-Romagna Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Circuits Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari (2020–present)
Imola2010
Races 2020202120222023


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