GET UP TO SPEED WITH THESE FACTS AND STATS
Emilia-Romagna
NEED TO KNOW
FIRST EMILIA-ROMAGNA
GRAND PRIX:
2020
TRACK LENGTH:
4.909 KM
LAP RECORD:
1:15.484
LEWIS HAMILTON (2020)
MOST EMILIA-ROMAGNA WINS:
3
MAX VERSTAPPEN
MOST EMILIA-ROMAGNA
POLE POSITIONS:
2
Max verstappen
PIT STOP
TIME LOSS:
(including 2.5s stationary)
POLE RUN TO TURN 1
BRAKING POINT:
OVERTAKES COMPLETED
IN 2024:
SAFETY CAR
PROBABILITY:
VSC
PROBABILITY:
TRIVIA
The circuit's president is Gian Carlo Mindarni, formerly boss of the eponymous Formula 1 team that gave Fernando Alonso his debut in F1.
THE DRIVER'S VERDICT
Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault F1 driver
Imola is a fantastic circuit. It’s steeped in history, and you feel that as you’re driving around it. It’s punishing – short run-offs of grass and gravel – so there’s not a lot of room for error, and plenty of tough corners as well.
The chicanes early on are probably slightly more straightforward than some of the other parts. Piratella is quite quick, blind towards the exit as well, and that can be a track limits issue if you drop too far wide out of there. And the fact is, a lot of the track is quite tricky.
Acqua Minerale is tough as you have to make sure not to carry too much speed into Turn 12, and then you have to get the kerbs right at Variante Alta. If you avoid the kerbs too much you lose performance, so it’s threading the eye of the needle through the kerbs, trying to get maximum performance, but not bouncing the car towards the wall, which is quite close on the exit.
And again braking for Turn 17 catches you out very easily, particularly early on in practice when you get used to it, because it’s quite steep and there’s gravel on the outside. It just lures you to brake too late. This is a classic challenge and a favourite for fans and drivers.
2024 WINNER
Max Verstappen (RED BULL)
2022 WINNER
MAX VERSTAPPEN (RED BULL)
2021 WINNER
MAX VERSTAPPEN (RED BULL)
2020 WINNER
LEWIS HAMILTON (MERCEDES)
2024 POLE POSITION
Max Verstappen (RED BULL)
2022 POLE POSITION
MAX VERSTAPPEN (RED BULL)
2021 POLE POSITION
LEWIS HAMILTON (MERCEDES)
2020 POLE POSITION
VALTTERI BOTTAS (MERCEDES)
CURRENT FORM
What can be expected going into the Grand Prix weekend?
McLaren were a commanding force last time out in Miami, with Oscar Piastri leading team mate Lando Norris in a 1-2 finish that saw Piastri cross the line a staggering 37.644s ahead of third-placed George Russell.
This result bolstered Piastri’s advantage at the top of the Drivers' Championship, where the Australian now holds a total of 131 points to sit 16 points clear of Norris in second while Max Verstappen is on 99 in third.
Last year’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix confirmed McLaren’s step forward as Norris took the fight to Verstappen right to the end – but with the team being the hunted rather than the hunter this time around, can they continue to hold off their rivals this weekend?
Speaking of Verstappen, the Dutchman has good form at Imola, having won three of F1’s four visits to the track since it returned to the calendar in 2020. And as his pole position in Miami outlined, the Red Bull driver can never be discounted.
Elsewhere, Mercedes bounced back from a slightly weaker outing in Saudi Arabia with Russell’s podium at the Miami International Autodrome. As rookie Kimi Antonelli prepares to race in front of his home crowd for the first time this weekend, can the Silver Arrows give the Italian fans something to cheer about?
And in terms of local supporters, this will also be Ferrari’s first race on home soil of the season – as well as marking Lewis Hamilton’s debut Italian event since switching to the Scuderia. What can the home favourites achieve at Imola?
Other headlines include the return of Franco Colapinto, who replaces Jack Doohan at Alpine for the next five rounds. Will the driver change have an impact in what remains a tight battle in the midfield?
ICONIC MOMENT
Alonso's Ascendancy
This is a track that has seen triumph and tragedy over its decades of hosting Formula 1 Grands Prix.
Back in 1994, Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger both lost their lives in separate incidents here on a fateful weekend that cast a long shadow on F1. But there have been joyous moments at Imola as well.
This week we thought it would be fitting to pick Fernando Alonso’s battle against Michael Schumacher in 2005. The two F1 legends engaged in a memorable back-and-forth with the Spaniard coming out on top in the end.
