© Getty ImagesThe Cultural Guide to Imola Saluti amanti del VCARB!
Welcomeback.Haveanicebreak?
Round 7 of the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship brings us to Imola, in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, for the FORMULA 1 AWS GRAN PREMIO DEL MADE IN ITALY E DELL'EMILIA-ROMAGNA 2025.
For VCARB, Imola is as close as it gets to a home Grand Prix, so we’re gonna throw a homecoming party this week and show you around the finest things Imola has to offer.
Won’t you join us? This is VCARB’s Cultural Guide to Imola.
Imola sits on the river Santerno in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, one of the wealthiest regions in the entirety of Europe. The city is relatively quiet and is home to almost 70,000 people. Naturally, the region comes to life during the running of the FORMULA 1 AWS GRAN PREMIO DEL MADE IN ITALY E DELL'EMILIA-ROMAGNA 2025.
Imola falls into the Metropolitan City of Bologna, which is also home to Faenza, where VCARB’s headquarters are located. We’re just 15 minutes away from the circuit, so this Grand Prix always feels special to us. The region is also home to Ducati and our MotoGP neighbours (ciao Marc, ciao Pecco!).
Speaking of MotoGP, Imola was the birthplace of Fausto Gresini, a former Grand Prix racer and team owner. F1’s very own Stefano Domenicali was also born in Imola. That’s a lot of talent for a small city.
Fun fact: Imola is a twin city with Colchester, Essex, in the UK.
Country Settings© Getty Images
Must-seeattractionsinImola
Imola is home to the iconic Ayrton Senna Monument and is the place where Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger tragically lost their lives in 1994. Each year, the monument is visited by thousands of racing fans to honour the late drivers.
Alongside the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, home of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, is the Museo Checco Costa, a motorsport museum built by petrolheads for petrolheads. It’s the ultimate place to see classic Italian cars up close and personal, as well as Senna’s 1994 Williams FW16.
Outside of the circuit, the Rocca Sforzesca is a must-see. The 14th-century castle sits at the heart of Imola and offers an incredible view of the city. You might spot the Palazzo Tozzini, another incredible feat of architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries, which is a traditional Italian mansion that offers visitors a taste of what life used to be like in the region.
Sweeping Imola© Getty Images
Youcan’tvisitImolawithoutsamplingitsfood
It’s true. Italy’s food is loved worldwide for a reason, and the local cuisine of Imola is no exception to the rule.
Since it’s a typically quiet city, you’re not going to be bombarded with tourist traps and overpriced lasagna. Instead, you’re spoiled for choice on local trattorias and gelaterias, serving the finest Italian pastas, pizzas and gelato imaginable.
The Mercato Coperto di Imola is an incredible market full of fresh produce, meats and cheeses, which just sounds pure bliss to be honest. The Italians certainly know how to eat.
Sweeping Imola© Getty Images
Formula One first visited Imola in 1980 while Monza was being renovated. It returned as the second Italian race on the calendar in 1981, aptly named the San Marino Grand Prix after the nearby republic in northern Italy.
We didn’t visit Imola from 2006-2019, but returned during the pandemic as a last-minute addition to the calendar. Imola’s deal with F1 runs out in 2025, but we have everything crossed that it sticks about. Not that we’re biased, but it makes it a piece of cake getting home when the race track is just down the road from HQ.
Let’s give Liam and Isack a team home race to remember. Join VCARB for the FORMULA 1 AWS GRAN PREMIO DEL MADE IN ITALY E DELL'EMILIA-ROMAGNA 2025 from 16-18 May.
