Reminiscing the Glory Days of Imola in Formula 1

This weekend marks the potential farewell of the iconic Imola circuit from the Formula 1 calendar. With its contract expiring and no room on the 2026 schedule for renewal, we take a nostalgic journey through the memorable races that have taken place at this historic track south-east of Bologna.

The Most Memorable Races in Recent History

One of the most unforgettable races in recent history is undoubtedly the 2005 edition, which saw a fierce battle between seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher and young challenger Fernando Alonso.

After Ferrari‘s dominance in 2004, a change in tyre rules resulted in a shift of fortunes, with Michelin runners Renault gaining an edge over the Italian Bridgestone team. Alonso and his teammate Giancarlo Fisichella had shared the first three races that season, while Schumacher struggled with a year-old car until the F2005 brought some improvement from race three.

The German’s Imola weekend looked set to be another challenging outing, as he qualified in 14th after going off during Sunday’s qualifying session. However, after polesitter Kimi Raikkonen dropped out due to a malfunctioning McLaren, Alonso moved up to second and seemed certain to secure his third consecutive victory.

The Ferrari proved extremely competitive in the race, and after undercutting a train of cars and being stuck behind Jarno Trulli’s Toyota, Schumacher unleashed the F2005’s pace in the final stint. After his late fuel stop, he emerged on Alonso’s tail, setting up an exhilarating dogfight until the finish.

The Ferrari was clearly quicker, but overtaking proved difficult in a dry race, with Alonso expertly holding off Schumacher into the braking zones. The Spaniard eventually held firm to cross the line just two tenths ahead of the , marking a symbolic changing of the guard.

F1 Folklore: The 1985 San Marino GP

Another race etched in Formula 1 folklore is the 1985 San Marino GP. At the time, F1 employed high-powered and extremely thirsty 1.5-liter turbocharged engines, making a maximum fuel limit of 220 liters tricky to manage on certain circuits.

Imola had been a particular challenge, with three cars running out of fuel in 1984. But the next edition was even more notorious, featuring three different leaders in the last five laps, none of whom actually won the race.

The race was Senna’s to lose, leading comfortably in his Lotus ahead of Ferrari‘s Stefan Johansson. However, four laps before the end, the Brazilian had to park his fuel-starved car, handing the lead to Johansson. But the Swede too dropped out one lap later due to an electronic gremlin that issued a false fuel reading.

McLaren‘s Alain Prost seized the opportunity, taking the chequered flag as the winner. However, the drama didn’t end there, as Prost ground down halfway through the cooldown lap due to a lack of fuel. This meant his -Porsche was 2kg underweight, and after a long debate between chief Ron Dennis and the scrutineers, Prost was disqualified from the results.

Elio de Angelis, Senna’s teammate, was catapulted from outside podium contention to a shock win, which would end up being his last. This eventful day is detailed in this archive report.

The 2021 Spectacle at Imola

In the modern era, Imola has rarely produced instant classics, but the 2021 edition came close. A bit of rain at a technically challenging circuit always adds excitement to the action.

Lewis Hamilton led from pole on an intermediate tyre start, but Max Verstappen’s excellent getaway saw him take the lead into Turn 1, forcing Hamilton over the kerbs. The start of one of the most contentious title battles of the current era.

Early crashes for Nicholas Latifi and Mick Schumacher set the tone for a chaotic afternoon, but the restart also brought thrilling wheel-to-wheel racing throughout the field. Hamilton had another go at Verstappen while Lando Norris, Pierre Gasly, and Carlos Sainz battled for the top six.

At the halfway mark, the race received a fresh twist when Hamilton suffered a costly off at Tosa, while his teammate Valtteri Bottas tangled with Williams‘ George Russell in a frightening crash on the front straight. The red flag restart prompted more frantic racing, and it gave Hamilton the opportunity to move from eighth back to second, albeit well behind runaway winner Verstappen.

It was a race that had a bit of everything, showing that a bit of rain can transform Imola into a real spectacle on its day. As it stands, no precipitation is forecast for this weekend, which may well be Imola’s F1 swansong for the foreseeable future. However, in an attempt to spice up the racing, Pirelli is debuting its softest C6 compound. Will it be enough to give the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix a fitting send-off?