2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix: Fast Facts

The first quarter of the season is now done and dusted and, apart from a brief interlude in Canada in mid-June, the European season starts now, and goes on until the Italian Grand Prix on 7 September. The Emilia-Romagna e del Made in Italy Grand Prix takes place at the Imola circuit, named in memory of Enzo Ferrari and his son Dino.

This part of the season, which contains the majority of races regarded as the classics of the championship, is thus bookended by rounds in Pirelli’s home country, which has hosted more rounds of the Drivers’ World Championship than any other nation. 74 out of a total of 107 races have been held in Monza, 31 in Imola, while Mugello and Pescara have hosted one apiece.

The Compounds

The new C6 compound will make its race debut in Imola, as Pirelli has chosen the softest trio of compounds in its 2025 range for this weekend, with the C4 as Hard, the C5 as Medium and the C6 as Soft. It will be the first time that drivers will run the C6 on this season’s cars as none of them used it in the Bahrain test.

Homologated for use at tracks that stress the tyres the least, the C6 could provide even more grip over a flying lap, especially as the Imola surface is less abrasive than average. It’s hard to imagine it being used for a race stint, but data gathered in Imola and then from Monaco and Montreal, will allow the Pirelli engineers to evaluate it for other Grands Prix in the second part of the season.

The Track

Imola’s Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari is one of the most iconic and technical tracks on the Formula 1 calendar. Situated in the heart of Italy’s Motor Valley, it is 4.909 kilometres long, with 19 corners – ten to the left and nine to the right – and runs anti-clockwise, which puts it in the minority of race tracks worldwide. It’s old-school, rather narrow, with high and aggressive kerbs, as well as several natural changes of elevation and corner sequences that alternate between requiring heavy braking and some flowing sections.

After the start comes the Tamburello corner, one of the fastest parts of the track, followed by the Villeneuve chicane and Tosa corner, where the driver wants to have good traction on exit. The Acque Minerali section is one of the most technical and spectacular, while the Alta chicane and the double left-hander at Rivazza complete a layout that rewards precision, stability and overall car balance.

Tyre management is affected by the many acceleration and braking points, with tyres subjected to a low average load and limited degradation. However, the high kerbs can increase mechanical stress, especially on the suspension and tyres. Because of the limited overtaking opportunities, qualifying plays an important role, as does finding the right race strategy.

The Stats

Imola first held a Formula 1 race in 1980, the only time the Italian Grand Prix was not run in Monza. From the following year until 2006, it was home to the San Marino Grand Prix. It returned to the calendar in 2020, as the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. In 2023, the race had to be cancelled because of serious flooding in the region, by which time the slogan “Made in Italy” was added to its name.

Michael Schumacher is the king of Imola, having won there no fewer than seven times. Equal in second place on the list of winners with three apiece, are two men who were always great rivals, namely Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, along with the current world champion Max Verstappen, who has won the last three editions. With eight to his name, Senna has the most pole positions, followed by Schumacher on five and René Arnoux on three. With 12 podium finishes, Schumacher tops this list, with twice as many as Prost on six, followed by Senna and Gerhard Berger in third place, with five each.

As for the teams, Ferrari and Williams have the most wins here with 8, ahead of McLaren on 6, the latter having the greatest number of pole positions (8), ahead of Ferrari (6) and Williams (4). The same three teams have the most podiums in the order, Ferrari on 25, McLaren on 22 and Williams on 15.

2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix Scheduling

Below are the session times for the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, which will run from May 16 to 18 (all times are track times):

May 16

Practice 1: 13:30 – 14:30

Practice 2: 17:00 – 18:00

May 17

Practice 3: 12:30 – 13:30

Qualifying: 16:00 – 17:00

May 18

Race: 15:00

How to Watch the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix

Formula 1 fans around the globe can catch all the action from the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix through various broadcasters and streaming services.

In the United Kingdom, viewers can watch every session live on Sky Sports F1, with comprehensive coverage of the practice sessions, qualifying, and the race itself.

For fans in the United States, the Miami Grand Prix will be available through ESPN and its associated channels. ESPN offers extensive coverage of F1, including live broadcasts and replays. Cord-cutters can also stream the race live through various over-the-top (OTT) services that carry ESPN channels.

Viewers in Australia can tune in to watch the Grand Prix weekend unfold live on Fox Sports, which offers complete coverage of F1 races. For online streaming, fans can subscribe to Kayo Sports, a streaming platform that includes all Fox Sports content.

Additionally, F1 TV Pro offers live streaming of every track session to viewers in many countries worldwide.

This subscription service provides access to onboard cameras, team radios, live timing, and more, for an immersive viewing experience.

Remember to check the local listings and services for the most up-to-date information regarding broadcast times and availability in your region.

Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix Fast Facts

• Construction of the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari first started in 1950 and the circuit hosted its debut race in 1953.
• The track has hosted F1 races under three different names: the San Marino Grand Prix, Italian Grand Prix and Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
• Having hosted a race every year between 1980 and 2006, the circuit disappeared off the calendar in 2007, but returned in 2020 as the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
• The Mercedes team captured its seventh consecutive World Constructors’ Championship with a 1-2 at Imola in 2020.
• The 2023 edition of the race was cancelled due to devastating flooding around the track and in the surrounding region.
• At 548 metres, the distance spent under the pit lane speed limit at Imola is the longest on the calendar.
• It takes drivers nearly 25 seconds to navigate during a stop in the race.
• The race also has the highest level of fuel consumption seen on the 2025 calendar.
• With an average ambient air temperature of 14.8 degrees, the race could also be described as one the coldest of the season.
• Changes have been made to the track last year with gravel traps at T9 and exits of Turns 11 to 15.
• The 2025 edition is getting one step softer than last year with the use of the C6 tyre compound for the first time this season.
• The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is an important step in the season, marking the beginning of the European leg but also being Kimi Antonelli’s home Grand Prix.