Formula 1's inaugural visit to the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in 1980 began an unbroken 27-year run on the calendar for Italy's 'other' circuit, before it dropped off the schedule in 2006. But the onset of the COVID pandemic and an increased demand for European venues to meet F1's required quota of events for 2020 prompted a return, with Imola proving a popular addition to the calendar for a generation of drivers that largely missed out on it first time around.
The tragic events of 1994, when Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna lost their lives, are indelibly sketched into Imola's history as the circuit was changed significantly in the aftermath to improve safety. That also changed the character of the track, which previously featured a long flat out blast down to the first braking zone at Tosa - now interrupted by two chicanes.
