By Joe Murphy
With only one more year remaining on the current deal, talks are continuing between all parties as to whether the iconic circuit continues to host the biggest competition in motorsport. There is a lot to remember and consider when it comes to this historic track.
It isn’t just where Senna died you know. Imola is so much more. One of the most historic venues to host Formula 1 this season, is up next at the time of writing, but there is a huge amount people forget about the famous circuit. It wasn’t even F1 that started it all off. In fact, motorbikes and touring cars were indeed the first to race on the circuit through the early and mid 20th century.
Imola didn’t host Formula 1 until 1963, but even this was only a non-championship race. Enzo e Dino Ferrari’s circuit waited a further 17 years to host its first official F1 event, as a direct replacement for Monza at the time. For the next quarter of a century, the event was part of the calendar as the ‘San Marino Grand Prix’ before taking a hiatus from the line up. In terms of the hybrid era, Imola didn’t see these types of cars until 2020, as Imola returned and rebranded, now the Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna, a place in Italy.
Over time, the track development makes for interesting reading. With more and more turns added then modified in the name of safety, it is far less straight that it used to be, slowing the cars down considerably. However, it is still one of the most dangerous circuits on the calendar, despite a good run in terms of injuries or deaths. The famous ‘Tamburello corner’ was critical as it was very fast to enter and had an uneven surface. Nelson Piquet and Gerhard Berger were among those injured in accidents here.
More infamously in 1994, Imola witnessed one of the blackest weekends in Formula 1 history. Rubens Barrichello crashed on Friday but escaped with only minor injuries. On Saturday, Roland Ratzenberger lost his life in the Villeneuve corner. But the most iconic moment came on Sunday. It was at the aforementioned Tamburello corner that the legendary Ayrton Senna lost his life. Moreover, there were several minor injuries to spectators who were hit by debris after a different collision at the start of the race.
As sad as this event was, there was some positives to come out of it. It changed the sport. And it forced changes to Imola. Tamburello and Villeneuve were redesigned into chicanes, and the escape zones were also improved, reducing the risk of major accidents significantly. Officials were forced to upgrade the outdated paddock and pitlane, making an improved experience for all involved.
After the news that Imola extended the contract up until next year, there are some claiming the sport should move elsewhere. Others consider the track in the same category as the likes of Spa and Silverstone. There’s no denying the pedigree of the venue, however. Imola would survive without F1. It has done just that before.
Imola is known to host the World Championship of Road Motorcycles, the World Championship of Superbikes and even the World Championship of Motocross. Even more recently, the European ‘Le Mans Series’ has also been held here. There is a reason why the finest motorsport franchises flock to the San Marino circuit. It’s clear this isn’t going to change anytime soon, nor should it.
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