14/05/2025
NEWS STORY
After races in Australia, Asia, the Middle East and America, Formula 1 finally returns to Europe and the beating heart of Italy, a short distance from Maranello.
The fourth Made in Italy e dell'Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix since the Enzo e Dino Ferrari Autodromo returned to the Formula 1 calendar in 2020 is the first of two home races for Scuderia Ferrari HP, the team therefore able to count on the unwavering support of its home Tifosi.
The track. The Imola circuit is old-school, which is one of the reasons it is so popular with the drivers, who really enjoy the climbs and drops that characterise the track in the foothills of the Apennines. In its current configuration, the first sector is the most demanding, starting with the long main straight past the pits, which is a DRS zone, followed by two high-speed chicanes at Tamburello and the Villeneuve corner, before the drivers must brake heavily for Tosa, with its gravel run-off area lying in wait. The slightest mistake can cost precious tenths in qualifying or lead to places lost in the race.
The second sector features a steep climb towards Piratella corner, one of the nicest of the whole season, followed by a downhill plunge into the fast right-handers at Acque Minerali, where drivers must be inch perfect in hitting the braking point to carry enough speed into the third and final sector, which is followed by the track's one and only DRS detection point. There are not too many overtaking opportunities apart from down the main straight. That means qualifying is very important, while track position is also key during the race itself. Therefore the most likely strategy is a one-stop to minimise the risk of being undercut.
Fred Vasseur: After the first six races across three different continents, we begin the European leg of the season in Imola. Since the last Grand Prix, we've worked hard in Maranello, preparing every detail of the next Grand Prix with the aim of maximising the potential of our package so as to allow Charles and Lewis to perform at their best on what is a demanding track, where we'll also be able to count on the support of our home fans.
Ferrari at Imola
31 GP Contested
Italian GP Debut (J. Scheckter 8th; G. Villeneuve ret.)
8 (25,81%) Wins
6 (19,35%) Pole positions
10 (32,26%) Fastest laps
25 (26,88%) Podiums
Three questions to Antonio Giovinazzi
What can you tell us about the characteristics of the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit?
Antonio Giovinazzi: First and foremost, Imola is a home race so what strikes you before even going out on track is the huge number of fans who have come to support Ferrari. It makes the race even more special and I really like it as it's an old-school, very technical circuit. At Imola, you have to ride the kerbs in a Formula 1 car and it's not easy to overtake as the track is very narrow and the track surface is very grippy. It's almost like racing on a street circuit and the slightest error is very costly! If I had to pick out one corner, I'd say the Acque Minerali, which is very difficult to get right. It's downhill, combined with braking and here too, it's important to make good use of the kerbs.
You recently won the round of the World Endurance Championship held at Imola. What does it feel like to win in front of the Italian fans, all decked out in Ferrari colours?
AG: It was my first home win with Ferrari and it was simply fantastic, up there with winning at Le Mans. It was an unforgettable weekend. The team did a perfect job, the strategy, the pit stops, the car and they deserve a huge thanks for making this win possible. Beneath the podium, there was such a crowd singing along with us to the national anthem, with red flags and red smoke from the flares - a real Italian party and an unforgettable day, an unforgettable weekend really. The fans were there from the Thursday, celebrating us getting pole and then the win. For us in the 51 car, it was our first win for almost one and a half years, a Sunday to remember. It would be great if we could do the same in Formula 1.
Once again this year, you are juggling your racing in WEC with your role as the team's reserve driver in Formula 1. What do the two disciplines have in common and what are the main differences between them?
AG: The first thing they have in common is that it you're wearing a red race suit with the Prancing Horse on your chest. That brings intense pressure and you feel it. However, it's a good sort of pressure, because representing Ferrari in whatever championship, is always a source of pride if you are Italian. Apart from that, they are two different forms of motorsport: one is endurance racing, the other involves shorter faster races, so they are hard to compare. But the will to win and to do so in Ferrari colours is always the same!
Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix: facts & figures
45. The number of PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) products that originate in Emilia-Romagna, the most of any area in Italy ahead of Veneto (38) and Lombardy 935). One sixth of all high-quality Italian food products come from this region. These include Squacquerone cheese, piadina flatbread, Mortadella sausage, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and Balsamic vinegar. In addition, there are the DOC wines produced from vineyards in the hills above Imola, across the provinces of Bologna and Ravenna. Some of the best known varieties are Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Barbera, Trebbiano and Chardonnay. The Made in Italy food sector is one of the largest in the world, with the agricultural-food chain generating a turnover of 523 billion Euro, involving 1.2 million different businesses, employing 3.6 million people.
76. The number of overtaking moves in races run at Imola, since Formula 1 returned to the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in 2020. That first year, there were just six, but in 2021, partly because of the rain, the number rose to 28. In 2022, the crowd was treated to 13 passing moves, while the 2023 race had to be cancelled because of the floods that hit Imola and the surrounding region. Last year there were 29.
666. The number of arches in the portico of San Luca, the longest in the world at 3,796 metres. The portico links the Sanctuary of San Luca to the city of Bologna and was built between the 17th and 18th centuries. Its history is intertwined with that of the Via degli Dei, a route that runs from Bologna to Florence. It is rich in historical and cultural significance, while architecturally, the portico is an excellent example of Baroque engineering and art. It is also the venue for an international running race, first held in 1977. It is run at night over a distance of 9.2 kilometres, featuring a 376 metre climb and a 385 metre descent.
740. The height above sea level in metres of Monte Busca in the province of Forlė-Cesena, known as "the smallest volcano in Italy." One has to head into the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines to see this truly unique phenomenon, an eternal fire that erupts from a crack in the ground, to produce a fiery fountain. In reality, this is no volcano but simply a release of gases that ignite spontaneously when they come into contact with the air.
1843. On 1st July of that year, the "Privileged Baths Establishment" was opened in Rimini on the Adriatic Riviera by the Baldini brothers, the Counts Ruggero and Alessandro and the lawyer Claudio Tintori, regarded as the first beach resort in Italy. It was established even before the country was unified, which did not happen until 1861. The Baths were designed by the engineer Nicola Berzanti. The "holidaymakers" were mainly aristocrats, keen to enjoy its supposed therapeutic benefits, as part of a health conscious trend that filtered down from Northern Europe. Today, beach holidays and tourism are one of the main sectors of the Made in Italy initiative, worth over 368 billion dollars, which accounts for around 18% of the country's GDP.