1108th F1 GRAND PRIX | 4th EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX | 31st GRAND PRIX AT IMOLA
2022 POLESITTER: MAX VERSTAPPEN | 2022 WINNER: MAX VERSTAPPEN
After its 2023 race was cancelled due to local flooding, the legendary Imola circuit will once again host the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in 2024. The 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is set to take place on May 17-19.
2024 EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday May 17
Free Practice 1 – 1:30pm Local Time / 12:30pm UK Time
Free Practice 2 – 5pm Local Time / 4pm UK Time
Saturday May 18
Free Practice 3 – 12:30pm Local Time / 11:30am UK Time
Qualifying – 4:00pm Local Time / 3:00pm UK Time
Sunday May 19
The 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – 3pm Local Time / 2pm UK Time
2024 EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND MILESTONES
Should he win the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Max Verstappen would become only the fourth driver to have won three F1 races at Imola. Fernando Alonso or Lewis Hamilton could become the eighth driver to have taken multiple wins here, while a win for anyone else would make them the 17th driver to have taken victory at Imola.
If Max Verstappen wins the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, he’ll equal Michael Schumacher’s record of most consecutive wins at Imola. Schumacher won three races in a row at the track between 2002 and 2004.
Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have the opportunity to become the sixth driver to take multiple pole positions at Imola at the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. A pole for any other driver would make them the 16th driver to take pole at Imola.
READ MORE IN MILESTONES AND RECORDS TO BREAK
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2024 EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT THE CIRCUIT SINCE LAST TIME?
Any changes to the circuit since the previous F1 race at the track will be posted here.
HOW MANY DRS ZONES WILL THERE BE AT THE 2024 EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX?
It’s yet to be announced how many DRS zones there will be at the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. In 2022, there was a single DRS zone.
IMOLA TRACK GUIDE
In 2020, Imola returned to the Formula 1 calendar after a 14-year absence. The former host of the San Marino Grand Prix witnessed triumph and tragedy in its first 26-year stint on the calendar.
Located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, the Imola circuit is near to Ferrari’s Maranello factory. The track was re-named Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Enzo Ferrari’s honour following his death in 1988. It had previously been given the name Autodromo Dino Ferrari in 1970, in memory of Enzo’s son Dino, who died in 1956. Enzo Ferrari was present when construction of the circuit began in 1950. The track has an affinity with the Tifosi, who showed up in their thousands to support Ferrari each time a race was held here.
Imola was opened for testing purposes in 1952, before racing started at the track in 1953. Ten years later, in 1963, Imola hosted its first race for Formula 1 cars. The race was won by Jim Clark, who lapped all but one driver. Over the next decade, further improvements would be made to the track, with facilities for spectators and revisions to the track layout. Now a permanent facility, rather than connected public and private roads, Formula 1 hosted a non-championship event at the circuit in 1979, titled the Dino Ferrari Grand Prix, which was won by Niki Lauda.
READ MORE IN OUR ULTIMATE TRACK GUIDE
WHO WILL BE IN THE 2024 EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX PRESS CONFERENCES?
The world’s media will have the opportunity to talk to the drivers ahead of the on-track action. The drivers appearing in the press conference for this race are yet to be announced.
The media will also be talking to prominent members of Formula 1’s teams in a separate press conference over the race weekend. The team members appearing in the press conference are yet to be announced.
WHO WILL BE THE RACE DIRECTOR AT THE 2024 EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX?
Niels Wittich will be the race director at the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
WHO WILL BE THE DRIVER STEWARD AT THE 2024 EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX?
Each weekend a former Formula 1 driver, or a driver from another prominent series of motorsport, joins the stewards to help judge any incidents from a drivers’ perspective. The Driver Steward this weekend is yet to be announced.
WHICH TYRE COMPOUNDS WILL BE USED AT THE 2024 EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX?
Pirelli are yet to announce which tyre compounds will be used at the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Before its cancellation, the C3, C4 and C5 tyre compounds were selected for the 2023 race weekend. The C2, C3 and C4 compounds were used in 2022.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME AT THE EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX?
Red Bull recorded their first 1-2 finish since 2016 on a damp weekend at Imola for the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Drivers did not have long to prepare for Friday qualifying, with Free Practice 1 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix being the first wet running of the 2022 season. Qualifying also began in damp conditions. Alex Albon was unable to set a competitive time after a fiery end to his session in Q1, while Carlos Sainz crashed out in Q2. A further three red flags followed in Q3 with Kevin Magnussen slipping off in the tricky track conditions, Valtteri Bottas coming to a stop on track and Lando Norris sliding off the circuit. The final red flag secured pole position for Max Verstappen for Saturday’s Sprint.
Charles Leclerc got ahead of Verstappen at the start of the Sprint, while Zhou Guanyu crashed out on the opening lap following contact with Pierre Gasly. Racing resumed after a Safety Car period and Sainz wasted little time making up for his Friday crash with an overtake on Fernando Alonso.
Despite his off track exploits in qualifying, Magnussen qualified an impressive fourth and held on to the position until eventually being passed by Sergio Perez on Lap 8. Perez then made another move on Lando Norris ahead, while the other McLaren of Daniel Ricciardo passed Magnussen for fifth place. Sainz’s comeback continued as he overtook Magnussen and Ricciardo. Verstappen closed in on leader Leclerc in the closing stages, eventually passing the Ferrari at the start of the penultimate lap.
There were further damp conditions on Sunday, where Verstappen managed to stay ahead at the beginning of the race. It was a poor start from Leclerc, who was passed by both Perez and Norris before the opening chicane. At the chicane, Ricciardo and Sainz made contact leaving the Ferrari stuck in the gravel trap. Alonso retired from the race with bodywork damage after a handful of laps. Leclerc took back third position from Norris while Magnussen was embroiled in a battle for fifth place with George Russell.
Following pit stops for Leclerc and Perez, Leclerc got ahead of the Red Bull. However, with warmed up tyres, Perez made short work of re-passing the Ferrari. On Lap 53, Leclerc took a little too much kerb and made contact with the wall at the Variante Alta. He was able to continue, but front wing damage necessitated a pit stop and he finished only sixth.
Verstappen was unchallenged for victory, with Red Bull taking their first 1-2 result since the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix. Leclerc’s troubles allowed Norris to creep into the podium positions. This would be the only time in 2022 that a driver for a team other than Red Bull, Ferrari or Mercedes would finish in the top three.
WHAT’S THE FASTEST EVER LAP AT THE EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX?
Attending the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix? Learn more about visiting Imola in the F1Destinations Travel Guide.
