APR 19-21

Circuit guide to Imola

imola-racetrack

Imola, or officially ‘Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari’, has speed written into its very title. Named after the founder of Ferrari, Enzo Ferrari, and his son, Dino, Imola is famous for its complexity, requiring technical prowess and skill to truly master. In this guide we’re going to take you through everything you need to know about Imola, its location, history, and more.

 

 

Where is Imola?

The motorsport track at Imola takes its name from the nearby town of Imola, in Northern Italy, found 25 miles east of Bologna. Aside from the racing circuit, the surrounding region of Emilia-Romagna is known for its strong links to the automotive world. As the home of motoring royalty such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Ducati, this part of the world is no stranger to power and pedigree.

If you’re attending the race weekend, the fun doesn’t have to stop once you leave the trackside. While there are plenty of things to explore in Imola, travel further afield and you can find the historic medieval cities of Bologna, Ravenna & Forli nearby. The region is also well known for its food – it’s the home of parmesan and prosciutto for one – while the nearby city of Bologna specializes in world-renowned dishes such as lasagna and tortellini. 

 

 

Imola facts and stats

  • First race year in WEC: 2024
  • Total length in lap distance: 3.045 (miles) 4.9 (kms)
  • Number of turns: 19
  • Overall duration: 6 hours
  • Typical number of pitstops: 1
  • Most successful drivers (in WEC): N/A (This is the WEC debut for Imola)
  • Fastest WEC lap: N/A (This is the WEC debut for Imola)
  • Top speed: 194mph (312kph)

Imola – what you need to know

While Imola may be one of the racing world’s most recognisable tracks, it’s also one of the toughest. Here we’ll explore what is sure to be one of the highlights of the World Endurance Championship season.

In the 1950’s, Enzo Ferrari described the Imola Circuit as “a small Nurburgring” because of the hilly and difficult terrain that the track is built on. Today the modern circuit hasn’t lost any of its difficulty. Known around the world for being hard to read, extremely technical, and demanding on both man and machine, you can expect tight corners, off-cuts and high-speed flat-outs as drivers push to be front of the pack.

The full Imola circuit is 3.045 miles, or 4.9km, and is one of the few major international circuits that runs anti-clockwise. The track is built to around speed, endurance and, crucially, courage, all of which are needed to tackle the sweeping, technical corners.

Keep an eye on track elements such as Variante Tamburello, which requires drivers to sweep left, right and left again while accelerating through the turns. Elsewhere, the Piratella turn sees the track fall away as the hilly terrain takes over, forcing drivers to rely on instinct and bravery as the corner bears down on them.

Throughout the whole race, drivers will find precise and tight corners that require exacting technique to help them stay out of the gravel traps and at the head of the race.

Imola has undergone several changes since its creation in the 1950’s, most recently a resurfacing that took place in 2011. Prior to this, the track layout was revised a number of times, reshaping the path drivers take through the circuit.

The most significant of these changes were a result of 1994’s infamous Formula 1 San Marino Grand Prix race weekend which took the lives of both Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger. Following the two crashes, the corner at Tamburello was transformed from a flat-out section to a left-right sweeper, forcing drivers to slow down. Likewise, the Villeneuve corner was turned into a more gradual bend and a gravel pit was added. But, to keep things even, chicanes were removed from other parts of the track to help retain some of the flat-out speed that has made the course so well-known.

The most popular place for drivers to overtake at Imola is the final corner, Rivazza. As a naturally tight circuit with a narrow track, overtakes are uncommon and difficult to pull off, so if you’re looking for on-track action, keep your eyes here. Other popular spots for overtakes include the Variante chicane, the Villeneuve chicane and the Tosa hairpin.

Imola Circuit has 15 stands for spectators, all of which provide the chance to view high-speed action. Popular stands include Grandstand: B on the Tosa hairpin where you’ll feel close to the action and may spot some overtakes.

Grandstands: D, E and F are hugely popular and sit on the inside of the track at the world famous Acqua Minerali section of the track. This high speed corner allows cars to approach at almost full throttle, something that has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated.

Grandstand: R is unique, because it’s essentially a hill with seats built in. What the stand lacks in facilities it makes up for in passion, as the crowd who gather here are some of the loudest and most enthusiastic on the whole circuit. You’ll also have prime views of the final corner, Rivazza – a prime spot for overtaking.

Why visit the World Endurance Championship at Imola?

Imola is one of the world’s greatest tracks and has been pushing drivers to their limits for almost 75 years. With the arrival of the World Endurance Championship for the first time in April 2024, this is an event you won’t want to miss. With grandstand views, twisting corners, and beautiful surroundings, the Six Hours of Imola is going to be a supercharged event.

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