This weekend’s is poised to spell an finish to Imola as a grand prix venue, no less than for now, with the traditional monitor south east of Bologna operating down its contract and no extra room on the 2026 calendar to resume it.
The undulating 4.909km circuit can boast a storied historical past about so long as the official title of the 2025 version, perplexingly dubbed the AWS System 1 Gran Premio del Made in Italy e dell’Emilia-Romagna.
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Naturally, Imola is inextricably linked with considered one of F1’s darkest weekends, when and perished on the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
However as its impending departure from F1 is met with blended opinions – its tight and twisty structure is hardly conducive to overtaking, however it’s one other traditional street course disappearing from the schedule – there are additionally causes to look again at Imola’s F1 tenure with fondness.
2005 – Alonso and Schumacher serve up traditional dogfightFernando Alonso, Renault and Michael Schumacher, Ferrari congratulate one another in Parc Ferme.
Fernando Alonso, Renault and Michael Schumacher, Ferrari congratulate one another in Parc Ferme.Motorsport Photos
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Probably the most memorable race in latest historical past might be the 2005 version, which featured a titanic battle between seven-time world champion and younger challenger .
After Ferrari’s crushing 2004 dominance, a change in tyre guidelines noticed a reversal of fortunes with Michelin runners Renault stealing a march on the Italian Bridgestone staff.
Alonso and team-mate had shared the primary three races between them, whereas Schumacher had struggled with a year-old automotive earlier than the F2005 introduced some enchancment from race three.
The German’s Imola weekend regarded set to be one other tough outing, qualifying in 14th after going off in Sunday’s qualifying session, the second of two periods that counted in the direction of an combination time to resolve the grid.
Fernando Alonso, Renault R25, leads Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F2005
Fernando Alonso, Renault R25, leads Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F2005Motorsport Photos
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After polesitter disappeared from the lead of the race on account of a malfunctioning McLaren, Alonso moved up from second and regarded sure to tie up a 3rd consecutive victory.
However the Ferrari proved extraordinarily aggressive within the race – a comparatively uncommon incidence in 2005 – and after undercutting a practice of automobiles after which being caught behind the Toyota of , Schumacher unleashed the F2005’s tempo within the last stint. After his late, last gas cease he emerged from the pits on Alonso’s tail, establishing a dogfight till the end.
The Ferrari was clearly faster, however even in 2005’s smaller and lighter automobiles overtaking proved very tough in a dry race, with Alonso expertly holding a annoyed Schumacher at bay into the braking zones. The Spaniard ultimately held agency to cross the road two tenths forward of the Ferrari in what seemed to be a symbolic altering of the guard.
There may be some irony right here, for if overtaking had been extra simple on the oft-criticised Imola circuit, Schumacher would have swiftly dispatched the Renault, sailed off into the gap and the race would not have been as memorable – bar for the German’s heroics. However now it’s maybe the primary race that involves thoughts, in no small half because of Alonso’s defensive masterclass.
1985 – Senna, Prost fall sufferer to thirsty turbo enginesAyrton Senna, Lotus 97T Renault, battles with Alain Prost, McLaren MP4-2B TAG
Ayrton Senna, Lotus 97T Renault, battles with Alain Prost, McLaren MP4-2B TAGMotorsport Photos
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The 1985 San Marino GP can be a part of F1 folklore, however for very totally different causes.
On the time F1 employed high-powered and very thirsty 1.5-litre turbocharged engines, which made a most gas restrict of 220 litres difficult to handle on sure circuits. As an apart, present F1 automobiles solely devour 100kg of gas over a race distance, which is a testomony to only how thermally environment friendly the present – maybe unheralded – engine rules are.
Imola had been a selected ache level, with three automobiles operating out of gas in 1984. However that was nothing in comparison with the subsequent version a yr later, which grew to become well-known for that includes three totally different leaders within the final 5 laps, none of whom truly gained the race.
The race was Senna’s to lose, main handsomely in his Lotus forward of Ferrari’s . However 4 laps earlier than the tip the Brazilian needed to park his gas starved automotive, handing the result in the Swede. However the tifosi’s delight was short-lived as he too dropped out one lap later on account of an digital gremlin which issued a false gas studying.
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Enter McLaren’s , who could not imagine his luck after seeing the 2 lead automobiles retire. The Professor had absolutely made the proper gas calculations, visibly quick shifting and coasting to make each treasured drop of black gold rely.
Prost duly took the chequered flag because the winner, however the drama did not cease there as he floor down midway down the cooldown lap. The dearth of gas meant Prost’s McLaren-Porsche was 2kg underweight, so after an extended forwards and backwards between McLaren chief Ron Dennis and the scrutineers the Frenchman was thrown out of the outcomes.
Throughout the area of 4 laps Senna’s team-mate was catapulted from exterior podium rivalry to a shock win, which might find yourself being his final.
Learn the total report from that eventful day, which additionally included drivers pushing their fuel-starved automobiles over the end line, .
2021 – Verstappen and Hamilton sq. off in wet-to-dry spectacleLewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing RB16B, Sergio Perez, Purple Bull Racing RB16B, and the remainder of the sector initially
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing RB16B, Sergio Perez, Purple Bull Racing RB16B, and the remainder of the sector on the startJerry Andre / Motorsport Photos
Jerry Andre / Motorsport Photos
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Within the fashionable period Imola has hardly ever produced instantaneous classics, however the 2021 version gave it a superb go. There’s nothing like rain at a punishingly technical circuit to boost the motion.
Lewis Hamilton led the way in which from pole on an intermediate tyre begin, however Max Verstappen’s wonderful getaway from third noticed him swoop previous the within to take the lead into Flip 1, forcing Hamilton over the kerbs. The beginning of probably the most fraught title battle of the present period.
Early crashes for Nicholas Latifi and Mick Schumacher set the tone for a chaotic afternoon, however the restart additionally introduced thrilling wheel to wheel racing all through the sector, with Hamilton having one other go at Verstappen whereas Lando Norris, Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz battled for the highest six.
On the midway mark the race obtained a recent twist when Hamilton suffered a pricey off at Tosa, whereas his team-mate Valtteri Bottas tangled with Williams’ George Russell in a daunting crash on the entrance straight.
Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, wrapped in a tyre blanket
Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, wrapped in a tyre blanketSteve Etherington / Motorsport Photos
Steve Etherington / Motorsport Photos
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The purple flag restart prompted extra frantic racing, and it gave Hamilton the chance to maneuver from eighth again to second, albeit properly behind runaway winner Verstappen. It was a race that had a little bit of all the things, and it confirmed {that a} little bit of rain can remodel Imola into an actual spectacle on its day.
Because it stands no precipitation is forecast for this weekend, which might be Imola’s F1 swansong for the foreseeable future. However in a bid to boost the racing Pirelli is debuting its softest C6 compound. Will or not it’s sufficient to present the a becoming send-off?
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