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The Imola GP has been a part of F1 history for a long time. The circuit has been host to multiple races in the past and made a return in 2020 during the pandemic. Throughout the years, the race has garnered attention and has witnessed some of the most classic moments in the history of the sport.
In this piece, we take a look at 5 such memorable moments in the history of the Imola GP.
#1 Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton (2021 Imola GP)
The 2021 F1 season was a season for the ages in the eyes of many fans. We had a seven-time reigning world champion in Lewis Hamilton going up against a young contender in the form of Max Verstappen. The second race of the 2021 season had Hamilton start the race from pole in wet conditions, with Verstappen starting the race in third.
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The Red Bull driver was able to snatch the initiative from Hamilton at the start of the race as he jumped from third to first before Turn 1. What followed was an epic tussle in wet weather between the two as both drivers exchanged the fastest laps. The battle had an anti-climactic end, however, as Hamilton made a mistake while lapping a backmarker, veering off the track into the gravel, and handing the Red Bull driver an easy win at that stage.
#2 Fernando Alonso vs Michael Schumacher Part 1 (2005 Imola GP)
2005 saw Ferrari stumble for the first time in 5 seasons as the team was caught out by the rule change at the start of the season. At Imola, however, it appeared that Ferrari had found its mojo. Michael Schumacher, starting the race from 13th, made his way through the field and was running more than a second a lap faster than Fernando Alonso.
After the second round of pitstops, Schumacher found himself right behind Alonso, battling for the lead. The Ferrari driver had 12 laps in hand to pass the Renault driver. As it turned out, Alonso put together a display of clinically defensive driving, holding off the Ferrari for 12 laps to win the race.
#3 Fernando Alonso vs Michael Schumacher Part 2 (2006 Imola GP)
In 2006, roles were reversed as this time around it was Michael Schumacher leading the race with Fernando Alonso chasing him down. Schumacher's Ferrari was the car to have throughout the weekend as he took pole position and comfortably led from the start.
Things took a turn for the worse, however, when the Ferrari driver started encountering severe tire degradation. Alonso closed down a gap of 10 seconds in just 8 laps and was right on the tail of the Ferrari. This time around though, the tables were turned as Schumacher was able to fend off Alonso to win the race.
#4 Gilles Villeneuve vs Didier Pironi (1982 Imola GP)
In what was an epic battle that had a tragic ending, Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi, the two Ferrari drivers, put on a magnificent display of skill and overtaking. Villeneuve was Ferrari's lead driver at the time while Pironi was supposed to play the supporting cast. At Imola in 1982, the Canadian was leading the race with Pironi in second when the two Ferrari drivers were given an order to slow down the cars and bring them home.
While Villeneuve followed the order and slowed down, the Frenchman did not. What followed was a battle where Pironi and Villeneuve would overtake each other multiple times in a fierce battle that culminated with Pironi taking the win.
Villeneuve was hurt by his teammate's betrayal and vowed to never talk to him again. The rivalry tragically ended in the next race as Villeneuve pushed too far at Spa while trying to beat Pironi's time and lost his life.
#5 Daniil Kvyat's double overtake (2020 Imola GP)
Imola is notorious for being inconducive for overtakes. The track does not have too many hard braking points. making it hard for the drivers to successfully get along the other car and make a pass.
As it turns out, Daniil Kvyat had not heard about this. During a safety car restart at the track in 2020, the Russian used his fresher tires to full effect as he passed both Sergio Perez and Alex Albon down the inside. You can't overtake in the Imola GP? Well, Kvyat thinks otherwise.
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