Why Imola's step back in time is refreshing for F1's future

Let’s not sugarcoat things: Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was not a Formula 1 race that will live long in the memory for the on-track spectacle.

The anticipation in the build-up about the damp conditions and possibility of more rain hitting mid-race ultimately descended into a fairly tepid affair. The race looked settled from half-distance, and barring Charles Leclerc’s late spin into the barriers, little happened to disprove that.

Yet leaving Imola on Sunday night, I couldn’t help but feel buoyed by the weekend that had just passed. While this was the third race at Imola since its return to the calendar in 2020 after the COVID-induced disruption, it was the first time it felt like F1 was properly back at Imola, fans and all.

And boy, did it feel good.

Imola doesn’t really fit as one of the newer additions to the F1 calendar. It’s a world away from the glitz of Miami or Las Vegas; it doesn’t bring the kind of hosting fee the oil-rich countries like Saudi Arabia or Qatar can; and it certainly can’t claim to be expanding a key market for F1, given the presence of Monza and the lack of Italian drivers on the grid.

But that is precisely what makes Imola such a valuable round to have on the schedule. It’s a reminder of what the heartland European races offer, stirring the kind of atmosphere few of the aforementioned venues can match, as impressive as they may be.

One of the biggest things that struck me throughout the weekend was the lack of orange in the grandstands. It’s become the norm at the bulk of the European races on the calendar that swathes of the grandstands will be packed out by Max Verstappen fans, whose presence is felt even beyond the obvious races at Spa and Zandvoort.

The tifosi was out in full force at Imola for the first time since fans were permitted at F1 races

Photo by: Erik Junius

After all, this was proper Tifosi territory. Imola is closer to Maranello than Monza, arguably giving it the stronger claim of being Ferrari’s ‘home’ race, and the fans made it feel exactly that way. Ferrari’s revival this year made it all the more of a must-see race for its followers, who had been shut out of Imola for the past two years due to COVID-19 restrictions. Those without seated tickets packed out the grass bank at the Variante Tamburello, pressed their faces to the fences at the entry to Tosa and even clambered high walls all in pursuit of the best view. It’s little surprise the race was a sell-out, even exceeding the anticipated maximum attendance.

The passion of the Ferrari fans was impossible to ignore. It harked back to the days of Michael Schumacher’s success when red flags and t-shirts would cover the steep hill exiting Tosa and stretch up the grandstand at the end of the lap. Now, it’s Charles Leclerc who is the darling of the Tifosi, sparking huge cheers every time he drove past, as well as multiple novelty flags depicting him as Jesus. The fans who packed out the main straight may have not seen any Ferrari drivers up on the podium, but Leclerc’s visit after his difficult race to greet them was indicative of the strong bond that has been formed.

But Imola is so much more than a Ferrari home race. There are certain tracks that bear a history that nothing can match - and as dark and tragic as much of Imola’s may be, it is also why the track is such an important reminder to have on the calendar.

Imola is a reminder of what the heartland European races offer, stirring the kind of atmosphere few of the oil-rich venues can match

A must for anyone visiting Imola is to visit the statue of Ayrton Senna that sits on the inside of the track a short walk down from Tamburello. I last visited in 2020, but took a moment to with some colleagues on Thursday when the track was still fairly quiet to go back to the memorial. The fencing near the statue features flags from all over the world with hand-written messages and pictures of Senna, as well as tributes to Roland Ratzenberger. In the park on Thursday, little disturbed our visit bar the birdsong; a calmness before the chaotic weekend to follow.

A short walk down from the Senna statue is the Gilles Villeneuve memorial at the chicane that bears his name. Villeneuve’s final race came at Imola in 1982, where the infamous row over team orders with Didier Pironi made the great Canadian vow never to speak to his team-mate again - a promise that tragically proved correct when he was killed in qualifying at Zolder two weeks later. The memorial features a statue comprising nine circles - eight were originally planned to signify infinity, before a ninth was added to symbolise a beginning and an end - while three black cylinders are on the ground to mark the time at Zandvoort in 1979 when Villeneuve drove around on three tyres. A maple tree and a ‘Salut Gilles’ message, identical to the one from the track in Montreal, complete the memorial.

Few other tracks currently on the calendar have such emotional and strong links to F1 greats, whose heroics play such a role in defining the series’ history. The Imola park may be open all year around, but the grand prix gives a real chance for fans and the paddock to appreciate the roots of their passion.

Gilles Villeneuve memorial at Imola that links modern F1 to its history

Photo by: Luke Smith

The racing spectacle itself is something that Imola has often struggled with. The final two editions of the San Marino Grand Prix featured close fights between Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher, and while this one lacked that at the front, the number of overtakes were few and far between. Even when DRS was finally activated, the trains created made it hard for anyone to get close enough to pull off a move, given the entry to the Variante Tamburello is the only real overtaking spot.

Alex Albon was one of the big beneficiaries by the difficulty to overtake, fending off Pierre Gasly and Lewis Hamilton for two-thirds of the race to finish an impressive 11th for Williams. But even he accepted it felt like “quite a simple race” in terms of the action occurring. “Maybe we need a bit of a revision,” he said. “Maybe [we need] DRS down the straight before the last two corners as well. It’s a tricky track this one.”

F1 has already shown its willingness to tinker with track designs in a bid to improve the racing, as seen in Abu Dhabi and Australia. But Imola is the kind of track that you feel needs to retain its current challenge. Qualifying proved how easily mistakes can be punished, particularly in the wet. And had Ferrari been within closer reach of Red Bull over the weekend, the lead battle may have been closer to the kind of Schumacher/Alonso duels that proved races can still be exciting even without tons of overtaking.

Imola as a circuit just feels proper. It reminds me of Suzuka, where there isn’t tons of run-off if you get it slightly wrong, and you have to be on your toes throughout the lap. I spent second practice on Saturday stood down at the Variante Tamburello before ambling towards the Villeneuve chicane and the entry to Tosa, and the commitment the drivers need is impressive. You could see who had the confidence to ride the kerbs or push it out wide, playing chicken with the beckoning gravel on exit. It’s a world away from some of the sanitised tracks that appear on the calendar.

With every Miami or Las Vegas that gets announced, questions get asked of the historic tracks that bear the very soul of F1. The series’ bosses have made clear they want to strike a balance between classic venues and new markets, ensuring the history of the series is maintained. Fear not: we’ll keep going to the Spas and Monzas of this world.

And Imola should be in that conversation as well. It had been 16 years since the track was buzzing with the spirit of the Tifosi, but last weekend - complete with the regular rain, muddy car parks and lengthy red flag delays - was a reminder that there’s nothing else quite like it in global motorsport.

With F1's calendar continuing to expand, will there be room for Imola to remain long term?

Photo by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images