The Imola Circuit in Italy is one of the oldest Formula 1 circuits that there is and the history of this place is a lot and I am sure not a lot of readers would know the rich and dark history of this circuit and the roads it had to take to return to the Formula 1 calendar. This circuit had its foundation stone in 1950 which is more than 6 Decades old so we can imagine how much this track has seen in its lifetime till now. This track is one where the racers look forward to racing, especially the Ferrari drivers who have a good track record at this venue.
The Imola Circuit is one of the most technical tracks in F1 where the turns are sharp and the drivers have to be careful while driving as it is prone to crashes. The race at this circuit generally happens in the second week of April and it is no different this year and Ferrari yet again looks great with Charles Leclerc at top in the drivers standings and Ferrari on top in the constructors title. So, let’s learn more about the information stats and key facts about this storied circuit.
Information
The Imola Circuit is situated in the heart of the Emilia-Romagna region and it is just south east of Bologna. This circuit had a capacity of 78000 fans who will no doubt raise their voices and he heard as one of the most passionate Formula 1 fans in the world. As I said before that the construction of this track was started in 1950 and by 1953 races started happening on this circuit but they were not a part of the Formula 1 World Championship. It had to wait till 1980 to host the first race in the Formula 1 World Championship calendar year and everything was going well for the next decade or and it was known as the San Marino Grand Prix till the year 2006. And after 14 years in 2020 Imola Circuit returned to host the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and since then it has been that.
The TragicTragic San Marino Grand Prix
Everything was going well until the year 1994 cane and this Grand Prix would forever change Formula 1 would work later on. Till then the Tracks did not have much safety regulations and it cost them dearly in 1994 because not 1 but multiple fatal accidents happened here. In the Friday Qualifying a driver by the name Rubens Barrichello had a severe car crash but luckily escaped with his life but the crashes in the next 2 days were not so fortunate. On Saturday Roland Ratzenberger lost his life while having a similar car accident which was shocking but the main thing happened on race day when one of the greats in Ayrton Senna lost his life in the middle of the race during that Grand Prix and this changed everything.
Stats
Location | Emilia-Romagna |
Event | Formula 1 Emirates Gran Premio Del Emilia Romagna |
In the Formula 1 calender since | 1980 |
Total Race Laps | 63 |
Course Length | 4.909 kms |
First Race | 1980 Italian Grand Prix |
Race lap record | 1.15.484 (Lewis Hamilton) |
Turns | 19 |
Most wins by Driver | Michael Schumacher (7 Wins) |
Most wins by constructor | Williams and Ferrari (8 Wins) |
Also Read | All you need to know about Bahrain International Circuit
Key Facts
The 1980 Italian Grand Prix, which took place at Imola, is the only time in F1 World Championship history that the Italian Grand Prix has not been held at Monza.
Michael Schumacher has the most wins at Imola Circuit with 7 wins between 1994 and 2006.
The 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was F1’s first ever two-day weekend. Friday practice was scrapped for the event, with a single practice session taking place on Saturday morning before qualifying.
While Mercedes have taken pole at both Imola races held so far in the V6 hybrid era, they share one win apiece with Red Bull at the track. Lewis Hamilton was victorious in the 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and Max Verstappen won the event in 2021.
