Imola, 15 May 2025 – Sixty connected TVs Worldwide for a potential audience of 80 million viewers. Over 200 thousand physical presences expected over the three days, 90 thousand of which only for Sunday’s race, when the aim is to reach a full house. An economic impact estimated at 270 million euros, compared to an event that costs (for now) 25 million. The numbers of the Grand Prix Formula 1 of Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna, on stage this weekend at the Imola Autodrome (free practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday at 3pm), are those of a global event. And they make an even more impressive impression if connected to a city of 70 thousand inhabitants which is not even a provincial capital.
Unlike Miami and Saudi Arabia, however, the Santerno circuit (ended up underwater after the flood which led to the cancellation of the race in 2023) has history on its side. The little Nürburgring, as Enzo Ferrari called him (the Imola facility is dedicated to him and his son Dino), turned 71 last April. It hosted Formula 1 from the early 1980s until 2006, mourning Ayrton Senna’s tragedy 30 years ago.
The return to the city of World champion circus, facilitated by the pandemic, dates back to 2020: two editions behind closed doors and one with the public in 2022; then the cancellation of 2023 and then the crowds this weekend. Another edition is already on the agenda, in 2025. Then we will look to recover (in 2026) the race missed last year. And finally a difficult negotiation will be entered into, on the basis of 30 million per race, to keep Formula 1 in Imola until 2030.
To cross the finish line in the face of enormous competition from non-European racetracks, you can’t miss a beat. And so the city is preparing as best it can. The axis that goes from the train station at the circuit it will be dressed up with flags, banners and colored totems. And the historic center will come alive for three days of initiatives with exhibitions, concerts and car shows. There are even lights with Senna’s phrases.
The memory of the Brazilian champion is entrusted to his niece Bianca, expected in the city for the Grand Prix. There will also be no shortage of other VIP guests, in the many hospitality areas already set up at the Autodromo and which will be built in the future thanks to strong economic investments requested by the organizers to the local public system. After all, it is an increasingly designer Circus, a very distant relative of the one in which the then boy Stefano Domenicali grew up, from Imola and now CEO of Formula 1, who now many years ago spent more than a few Saturday nights in a tent with friends on the Tosa meadow waiting for the next day’s race.
Today the Grand Prix takes place (also) in a colorful Fan Zone which is a huge amusement park for adults with driving simulators, Ferris wheel and DJ sets. The pilots will also arrive here, to return at least for a few minutes as approachable as their predecessors who used to eat in the restaurants in the area in the 1980s and 1990s. Expected on Saturday morning are today’s Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz and tomorrow’s Lewis Hamilton, who will embrace the Prancing Horse team in 2025.
To find the thread (strictly red) that unites the Formula 1 of yesterday to that of today you have to look the old Rivazza. On the ‘hill of passion’, which like the lawn areas tries to maintain popular ticket prices, thousands of Ferrari fans are expected again this year. They all hope to see a victory for the Red team again which has been missing here since 2006, when Michael Schumacher was there to make them dream.
