Formula 1 drivers, led by reigning world champion Max Verstappen, have expressed their admiration for the challenges posed by the Imola circuit, even as the future of this classic Italian venue remains in doubt.
Imola, hosting the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, has recently made changes to include additional gravel traps at key points like Piratella, Acque Minerali, and Variante Alta. These updates have reinforced the track’s old-school charm, known for its narrow passages, undulating terrain, and sudden direction changes.
“I think it’s great. You get punished if you go wide,” said Red Bull’s triple world champion Verstappen. “Honestly, it’s just a fantastic track. I wish we had 24 of those on the calendar. We go to a lot of tracks that don’t really excite me, but this is unbelievable.”
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri echoed this sentiment, highlighting the track’s challenging nature: “It’s one of the toughest tracks of the year in terms of how old-school it is and having gravel everywhere. You know if you’ve gone over it because you’re in the gravel or you’re off.”
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc praised Imola alongside other historic tracks like Spa-Francorchamps, Suzuka, Monaco, and Zandvoort. However, he noted that while these traditional venues are beloved, their capacity to provide exciting races needs improvement, particularly concerning overtaking opportunities.
The discussion around Imola comes on the 30th anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s tragic accident at this track, a somber event that adds to the venue’s storied legacy among passionate fans. Nevertheless, the future of Imola on the F1 calendar looks uncertain, with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali suggesting that significant investment is required to keep the venue, particularly in competition with Monza.
Meanwhile, countries like Thailand and South Korea are vying for their spots on the F1 calendar, with proposed street races and an overall cap of 24 races, making the competition for calendar slots fierce. Fernando Alonso pointed out the overtaking challenges at Imola, saying, “I think it’s the second most difficult circuit to overtake just behind Monaco.”
The drivers’ admiration for Imola underscores a broader debate within Formula 1 about the balance between historic tracks and modern street circuits. The nostalgic appeal of tracks like Imola remains strong among drivers, but the evolving demands of the sport and business realities may dictate otherwise.
