Maranello 25
September 2024
The
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola is set to host the Ferrari Finali
Mondiali event for the third time. Since its 1998 edition, the Romagna circuit
has not only hosted the decisive races for the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli
titles in 2022 and marked the conclusion of all seasonal Corse Clienti
activities, but it also had the honour of showcasing the eagerly anticipated
debut of the 499P. The Maranello Hypercar was unveiled amidst cheering fans
before making its debut in the FIA WEC in March 2023, marking the return of the
Prancing Horse to the top endurance class 50 years after its last appearance.
Previous
editions. As
mentioned, the Emilia-Romagna venue has hosted the Finali Mondiali twice
before. In 1998, Adriano Baso became the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli
champion at the wheel of the F355 Challenge, the second model ever to
participate in the competition (after the Ferrari 348 Challenge). Alessandro
Pagni claimed the title with the same car in the Coppa Shell. In 2022, Thomas
Neubauer (who became a Ferrari official driver in the 2024 season) won the
Trofeo Pirelli, Marco Pulcini triumphed in the Trofeo Pirelli AM, while Franz
Engstler and Joakim Olander took the Coppa Shell and Coppa Shell AM titles,
respectively. All were driving the 488 Challenge Evo.
Imola
hosts world championship.
In April 2024, the Autodromo di Imola hosted its first-ever round of the
world’s largest Endurance competition, with three 499Ps on the track – the two
official entries from Ferrari – AF Corse, numbers 50 and 51, and the number 83
entered by the AF Corse team – alongside the 296 LMGT3s. The 6 Hours of Imola
came to Italy just a few weeks after the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans, which,
like the previous year, saw a spectacular Ferrari victory.
History. Imola and Ferrari share a deep
emotional bond, starting with the circuit’s renaming in 1988 after Enzo and
Dino Ferrari following the death of the Maranello company’s founder. Over the
years, Ferrari has featured prominently in the many races at the Romagna
circuit, including 30 Formula 1 Grands Prix, with the most recent podium finish
earned by Charles Leclerc in May. Over the decades, the circuit has hosted
various endurance races, with the 500 Kilometres of Imola standing out. In
1972, Ferrari secured a one-two finish with the 312 PB, culminating in the most
recent event, the FIA World Endurance Championship round last April.
The
track, which opened in 1953, features frequent elevation changes and a highly
technical layout. One of the few circuits that runs anti-clockwise, it
comprises 20 bends, some of which are world-famous, such as “Tosa”, “Acque
Minerali”, and “Rivazza”.