Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari facts for kids
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| Location | Imola, Emilia-Romagna, Italy |
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| Time zone | GMT +1 |
| Coordinates | 44°20′28″N 11°42′48″E / 44.34111°N 11.71333°E |
| Major events | Superbike World Championship, World Touring Car Championship, San Marino Grand Prix |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 4.909 km (3.050 mi) |
| Turns | 17 |
| Race lap record | 1:20.411 ( Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004, Formula One) |
| Previous layout (1981-1994) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 4.933 km (3.065 mi) |
| Turns | 23 |
| Race lap record | 1:24.335 ( Damon Hill, Williams-Renault F1, 1994, Formula One) |
The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is a famous auto racing track in Italy. It's located near the town of Imola, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Bologna. Many people just call it Imola.
The track is named after Ferrari's founder, Enzo Ferrari, and his son, Dino. Dino passed away in the 1950s. Before Enzo Ferrari died in 1988, the track was known only as Autodromo Dino Ferrari.
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Imola and Formula One Racing
Imola was once the home of the Formula One San Marino Grand Prix. The main Italian Grand Prix has always been held in Italy. However, the race at Imola was named after the nearby small country, the Republic of San Marino.
In 1980, Imola hosted the Italian Grand Prix after a big crash at another track called Monza. When Formula One races at Imola, it's like a home game for the Ferrari team. Many passionate Ferrari fans, called tifosi, come to cheer for their favorite team.
Imola is special because it's one of the few major international race tracks where cars drive in an anti-clockwise (counter-clockwise) direction. Most tracks go clockwise. Other anti-clockwise tracks include Istanbul Park, Singapore's Marina Bay, Korean International Circuit, Autódromo José Carlos Pace, and Yas Marina Circuit.
Safety Changes at Imola
Even after some changes were made, safety was still a big worry at the Imola circuit. One of the most concerning parts was a fast corner called Tamburello. This corner was very bumpy and didn't have much space between the track and a concrete wall. This wall protected a small river behind the corner.
Accidents at Tamburello
Over the years, several drivers had serious accidents at Tamburello:
- In 1987, Nelson Piquet crashed there during practice and couldn't race.
- In 1989, Gerhard Berger crashed his Ferrari at Tamburello. His car caught fire, but firefighters and medical teams quickly helped him. Berger survived with only burns on his hands and missed just one race.
- Other drivers like Michele Alboreto and Riccardo Patrese also had crashes at Tamburello but were not seriously hurt.
Tragic Weekend in 1994
The 1994 race weekend at Imola was very sad because of three serious accidents:
- On Friday, Rubens Barrichello crashed hard at a part of the track called Variante Bassa. He was knocked out for a few minutes.
- On Saturday, Roland Ratzenberger from Austria crashed at Villeneuve Corner. He hit a concrete wall and suffered a very bad head injury. He was taken to the hospital but sadly passed away from his injuries.
- On Sunday, during the race, 3-time World Champion Ayrton Senna crashed into a concrete wall at Tamburello Corner. Senna also died instantly.
- In separate incidents during the race, some spectators and mechanics were also injured.
Making the Track Safer
After the deaths of Ratzenberger and Senna, big changes were made to make the circuit much safer.
- The super-fast Tamburello corner was changed. It became a slower left-right turn, and a gravel trap was added outside the corner to help cars slow down if they went off track.
- Villeneuve corner was also slowed down, and a gravel trap was added there too.
- To keep some of the track's original feel, a slow chicane (a tight set of turns) at Acqua Minerale was removed.
- Many people felt that the new track layout, with its added chicanes, wasn't as exciting as the old one.
Another change was made to the Variante Alta section. This part is at the top of a hill and has the hardest braking point on the lap. The kerbs (raised edges of the track) there were very high, which often damaged cars or caused accidents. Before the 2006 Grand Prix, the kerbs were lowered, and the turn was made tighter to reduce speeds even more.
Some people also complained that the facilities (buildings and work areas) at Imola were not very good. Because of this, the San Marino Grand Prix was removed from the Formula One championship after 2006.
Recent Updates at Imola
After a decision by the FIA (the main racing organization) in August 2006, Imola did not host a Grand Prix in 2007. SAGIS, the company that owns the circuit, hoped the race would return. They planned many updates to the track, but the race was not brought back.
The circuit has gone through huge changes. The pitlane, where teams work on cars, and the final corners have been completely updated. The last left-right chicane has been removed. Now, the section from Rivazza 2 to the first Tamburello chicane is a straight, fast part, much like the older version of the track. The old pit garages and paddock (the area behind the pits) have been totally rebuilt. The circuit hopes to host Formula One races again in the future. A famous German track designer, Hermann Tilke, planned these new changes.
In June 2008, after most of the rebuilding was finished, the FIA gave the track a "1T" rating. This means an official F1 test could be held there. But for a full Formula One race, the track still needs the top "1" approval. The track also hosted the 2008 World Touring Car Championship Race of Europe on September 21, 2008.
Images for kids
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Original layout of the Imola Circuit with no chicanes (1953–1972)
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The circuit's layout at the time of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
See also
In Spanish: Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari para niños
