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Imola has been home to great Formula 1 races since its introduction in 1980. Some of the greatest drivers in the sport's history have achieved memorable results at Imola. The track has played host to career-defining moments, changes of guard and great battles between drivers.
Here are the top 5 races to take place at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari:
5: 2020 Imola Grand Prix
The latest iteration of the race took place in 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in the cancelation of many races on the calendar, Imola was chosen to host a Grand Prix for the first time since 2006.
Despite minimal overtaking opportunities at the track, Imola put up an exciting race last season. The Grand Prix saw a neck-and-neck battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. However, the Red Bull driver suffered an unfortunate tire failure near the end of the race, which led to the Briton taking the checkered flag.
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The Imola Grand Prix had a memorable ending, with fan-favorite Daniel Ricciardo stepping onto the podium after a brave defense against Daniil Kvyat's faster AlphaTauri.
4: 1996 San Marino Grand Prix
The race at Imola in 1996 will forever be remembered for Michael Schumacher's performance. Having won his second title with Benetton in 1995, the German switched to Ferrari for the 1996 season.
Schumacher won the hearts of the Tifosi after securing his first pole position for Ferrari in front of their home fans.
However, the race did not go according to plan. Schumacher suffered a brake disk explosion, causing the Ferrari to limp home in second place. The race solidified the Scuderia's German driver as the one to lead the team to glory.
3: 1989 San Marino Grand Prix
The 1989 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola will go down in Formula 1 history as the birthplace of one of the most heated rivalries of all time. Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost's well-documented animosity for each other began at the track.
The race started on a bad note after Gerhard Berger suffered a massive crash in his Ferrari. The incident brought out red flags.
During the break, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost made a gentleman's agreement. The arrangement would see the driver leading in the first corner go unchallenged for the rest of the lap. At the restart, Prost got off the line quicker from P2 and overtook Senna before the first corner. However, the Brazilian broke the agreement and attacked the Frenchman at the following corner. Prost felt robbed of the win, and the disagreement led to one of Formula 1's most bitter rivalries.
2: 2001 San Marino Grand Prix
The 2001 race at Imola saw Michael Schumacher's younger brother, Ralf, clinch victory. Driving for Williams, the younger Schumacher took his maiden Formula 1 win.
Starting the race at P3 on the grid, Ralf had a solid getaway, overtaking the McLarens of Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard before the first corner.
The German was in complete control from that point on. He led all 62 laps of the race and took the checkered flag four seconds ahead of David Coulthard. The win gave Williams their first Formula 1 victory since Jacques Villeneuve at the 1997 Luxembourg Grand Prix.
1: 2005 San Marino Grand Prix
The 2005 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola saw a changing of the guard. The race will go down in Formula 1 folklore because of the epic wheel-to-wheel battle between Renault's Fernando Alonso and Ferrari's Michael Schumacher.
Kimi Raikkonen started the race on pole, but suffered a driveshaft problem on lap nine, causing him to retire. This put Fernando Alonso in the lead of the race. Schumacher started in P13, but was close enough to attack the race-leader in the dying stages of the Grand Prix. However, Alonso mounted a brave defense and won the race by a slender margin of two-tenths of a second.
The Spaniard went on to win the 2005 Formula World Drivers' Championship, stopping Ferrari and Michael Schumacher from winning their sixth consecutive title.
