Until the last ten laps, I thought I was going to be the only person on the planet defending Imola. Imola is the recipient of valid and understandable complaints from fans. It’s difficult to overtake on, is unnecessary when there is already a fan-favourite Italian track on the calendar and seldom throws up classic races unless it rains. However, I don’t think that how easy a track is to overtake on is necessarily a count against it. Whilst incredibly difficult, it requires precision to make a move, with the last two corners proving especially challenging for drivers to nail. The track punishes mistakes with trips to the grass or gravel and requires drivers to exercise 100% concentration. It is an incredibly fun track to drive on which is vital to keep drivers bored of generic street tracks to stay in the sport. Whilst this old school track doesn’t necessarily lead to non-stop action, I find it relaxing to watch Formula One cars hustle around here.

That’s not to say nothing this weekend disappointed me. Ferrari’s upgrade package was anticipated for two weeks, with Fred Vasseur anticipating that Ferrari would be competing for a victory.[1] Friday looked promising as well, with Red Bull struggling, Ferrari appeared to be the fastest car. Yet, when it came down to qualifying and the race, Ferrari was slower than McLaren and not quick enough compared to Red Bull to challenge the excellency of Max Verstappen. The track did not suit Ferrari, which should have been more clearly communicated to fans earlier in the week. Monaco may also be a relatively painful weekend, unfortunately, with the true impact of Ferrari’s upgrades to become apparent when we return to faster tracks.

In contrast to Ferrari’s upgrades, McLaren’s are continuing to impress. Whilst in the middle of the race, it looked like Lando Norris was struggling for the pace, it instead appeared that he managed his tyres to perfection. This allowed him to charge at Max Verstappen towards the end of the race. Verstappen had to dig deep to stop Lando from getting into DRS range and attempting a move during the final laps and only won by 0.7 seconds. The last ten laps had vibes of Imola 2005, an example of how an F1 race’s quality is not always determined by the number of overtakes. Whilst Lando was not the driver I wanted to see hunting Max Verstappen down, this race showed that Red Bull is not invulnerable this season. The damp squib of a performance from Perez also emphasized this point.

In conclusion, I enjoy Imola. I understand why many don’t, but I’m never not going to have fun watching F1 drivers struggle to master a challenging, old-school circuit. I also am excited at the prospect of a season where three teams fight for wins, it’s been too long since F1 had one of those.

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[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C6tby48NvUW/

[2] https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/19/2024-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-in-pictures/motor-racing-formula-one-world-championship-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-race-day-imola-italy-405/