San Marino Formula One Race Track

Grand Prix: San Marino Speedway at Imola

Few circuits inspire the same excitement and exhilaration for the sport of racing as the San Marino Speedway. The circuit lies in the heart of Ferrari country and is a stone's throw from both the cities of Modena and Maranello. A paragraph or two on these tourist locations would not be out of place, but let’s face it: racing fans come here for one reason only: the track.

Get ready – because with a race distance of 62 laps and a circuit length of 3,065 miles (4.933 kilometers) San Marino Speedway is not for the tame-hearted. At the San Marino Speedway reputations have been made, and careers begun and abruptly ended while chasing the endless straights and turns. It is a place of pilgrimage for any fan of Italian motor sport. The track has seen some memorable races over the years while hosting the San Marino Grand Prix.

The circuit at the San Marino Speedway at Imola starts with the drivers hard on the power, passing the start-finish line flat out, heading towards the entrance of the Tamburello. After shedding around 100mph and dropping down to 2nd gear, the cars are back hard on the power again on the run up to Villeneuve, a 4th gear (130mph) corner renovated over time due to safety reasons.

A short spurt back onto the power on the approach to the tight Tosa corner. The cars slide quite a lot on the exit as they try to get the power down hard on the run up the hill. At the crest of the hill there is a quick flick right at full speed before the drivers have to scrub off some speed for the entry of the 4th gear Piratella.

After Piratella there is a short downhill section before the Acque Minerali. Once again, the drivers have to get on the power as soon as possible for the short, but relatively steep climb to the Variante Alta, a tricky third gear chicane with very slippery curbs on the exit.

Yet again, it is hard on the power, for a very fast downhill right-hand bend, passing under the bridge. Hard on the for the deceptive 2nd gear (70mph) Rivazza section, and then back on the power as the drivers speed towards the end of the lap. The cars usually hit around 170mph before scrubbing of half of their speed for the entrance to Variante Bassa and the final corner, Traguardo. After the exit it is hard on the power and a quick glance at the pit board before the next lap starts.

The arrival of the Formula One teams at Imola marks the start of the European season. Located in the Tuscan parkland 20 miles south-east of Bologna, the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari was first used in 1952 and through the years has been a venue for both the San Marino and Italian GPs. The circuit has gained a reputation as a fast, wide-open circuit with some truly daunting corners. Following the tragic deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger in 1994, the straights were shortened and punctuated by chicanes. As the nature of the circuit changed, chassis set-up priorities shifted from low downforce that maximizes straight-line speed, to higher levels of downforce which keep cornering speeds up.

Despite the modifications, Imola remains an interesting circuit for the drivers. The straights are not so long that they place an absolute premium on outright power, while the chicanes and bumpy track surface demand good handling characteristics. Along with Interlagos and Istanbul, Imola also holds the distinction of being one of only three anti-clockwise circuits used during the year.

Easily accessed by car, train or plane via Bologna and Rome, the San Marino Speedway at Imola is not-to-be-missed during the F1 season.