#1 ·
So, we’re back at the Enzo Ferrari International Raceway this weekend for the second round of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, though most of us just call it Imola. This place has been around the block—it hosted the Italian Grand Prix back in 1980, then pivoted to the San Marino Grand Prix from 1980 all the way through 2006. Honestly, if they hadn't messed around with the calendar last year, Imola probably would still be sitting around waiting for its glory days to return to Formula 1.
Looking at the numbers, the 2020 pole position average speed was 149 miles/h. That puts Imola as the fourth fastest track on last year's schedule, trailing behind Monza (163 miles/h), Silverstone (156 miles/h), Mugello (156 miles/h), and Spa-Francorchamps (155 miles/h). In this year's lineup, it might even get bumped down the list by that renovated track in Melbourne or the new street circuit in Saudi Arabia, which are both expected to clock in around 155 miles/h.
The 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Back in 2020, Lewis Hamilton snagged his ninth win of the season—and his 93rd overall—after pulling away from Valtteri Bottas on a long first stint using medium tires. Bottas ended up taking second after Max Verstappen had to drop out, leaving Mercedes to celebrate their seventh straight constructors' title.
That win was actually Hamilton's 72nd for Mercedes, which puts him exactly on par with what Schumacher did for Ferrari, and it marked his 162nd time on the podium. Plus, that seventh consecutive constructors' championship was massive because, let's be real, no other team in Formula 1 history has ever pulled off a streak like that.
The turns the FIA is keeping an eye on:
Any lap time set during practice, qualifying, or the race where a driver goes wide exiting Turn 9 (Piratella) is getting wiped clean. They define "leaving the track" as any moment where the car isn't touching the asphalt anymore.
Same deal for the top of Turn 13 (Acque Minerali)—if you go wide there during practice, qualifying, or the race, that time is gone. Again, if the car loses contact with the track, you've officially left it.
And don't forget the exit of Turn 15 (Variante Alt). If a driver clips the limits there during any session, those times are toast. Same rule applies: once the car isn't touching the track, it counts as leaving.
Every single time a driver misses the track at any of these three turns, the team is going to get an immediate heads-up through the official comms system.
Once a driver hits their third violation during the race, they'll see the black and white flag. After that, every single subsequent slip-up gets reported directly to the stewards. Just to be clear, we're talking three total violations, not three per turn.
Total laps: 63
Lap distance: 4909 m
Race distance: 192 miles
Race lap record: 1:15.484 (Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W11, 2020)
All-time lap record: 1:13.609 (Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes F1 W11, Q3, 2020)