On Sunday 15 May the European Le Mans Series will race at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, with the Italian circuit hosting a round of Europe’s foremost endurance racing series for the first time since May 2016.
Imola, which is situated 40km east of Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, was opened in 1953 and the current 4.9km circuit is one of only a handful of major international circuits that runs in an anti-clockwise direction.
2013
Imola was included in the first season of the relaunched European le Mans Series in 2013, with 28 cars starting the 3 Hours of Imola on Sunday 18thMay 2013.The race was won by Pierre Thiriet and Mathias Beche in the no1 Thiriet by TDS Racing Oreca-Nissan, with Thiriet winning the first of three races from four starts at Imola (2013/2015/2016).
The first ELMS race at Imola was also notable for Ferrari taking a 1-2-3 in LMGTE with Johnny Mowlem and Matt Griffin winning in the no52 RAM Racing F458 Italia on their way to that year’s team and driver titles.Ferrari dominated the Imola GTE podium filling 10 of the 12 places in the four races held at the track.
The 2013 season was also the last the LMPC ‘baby’ prototype category, which saw Paul Loup Chatin also win at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari alongside Gary Hirsch on his way to the first of his three ELMS driver titles.
2014
In 2014 the grid had grown to 37 cars and the race was now 4-hours in duration.With LMPC being dropped for the 2014 season, there were three classes – LMP2, LMGTE and GTC, the latter for GT3 machinery.
The 2014 race was won by the no38 JOTA Sport Zytek-Nissan of Simon Dolan, Harry Tincknell and Filipe Albuquerque.Reigning LMP2 champion Nelson Panciatici had been joined by LMPC Champion Paul Loup Chatin and Oliver Webb in the no36 Signatech Alpine A450 and finished third in Imola on their way to the 2014 LMP2 title.
It was another Ferrari 1-2-3 in LMGTE in 2014 with Andrea Bertolini, Viktor Shaitar and Sergey Zlobin SMP Racing taking the victory in the no72 SMP Racing F458 by just 1.035 seconds ahead of Kessel Racing and JMW Motorsport.Ferrari also took a 1-2-3 in the GTC category with Mikkel Mac, Johnny Laursen and Andrea Piccini taking the flag in the no60 Formula Racing GT3 spec Ferrari.
2015
In 2015 Pierre Thiriet was back on the top step of the overall podium for the second time at Imola, the French driver winning alongside Ludovic Badey and Tristan Gommendy in the no46 Thiriet by TDS Racing Oreca.
2015 also marked the first season of the LMP3 category, with Imola being the only time the no3 Team LNT Ginetta of Chris Hoy and Charlie Robertson failed to win.The win went to the no7 University of Bolton Ginetta Nissan of Rob Garofall and Morten Dons.
The LMGTE victory at Imola in 2015 went to the no56 AT Racing Ferrari of Alexander Talkinitsa Senior and Junior, with Ferrari factory driver Alessandro Pier Guidi.The Ferrari finished just three seconds ahead of the no88 Proton Competition Porsche, with Richard Lietz, Christian Ried and Marco Mapelli taking the German manufacturer’s first LMGTE ELMS podium at Imola.
AF Corse scored a 1-2-3 in the GTC class with Rino Mastronardi, Stuart Hall and Francesco Castellacci winning by over a lap in the no62 Ferrari F458 Italia GT3.
2016
A massive 41 car grid lined up for the last 4 Hours of Imola in 2016.The grid was back to three classes – LMP2, LMP3 and LMGTE – with the GT3 cars now running in their own series at Imola, the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup.
Pierre Thiriet took his third win from four starts at Imola, this time alongside Mathias Beche, who he had won with in 2013, and young Japanese hotshot Ryo Hirakawa.They finished 19 seconds ahead of the no38 G-Drive Racing Gibson-Nissan of Simon Dolan, Harry Tincknell and Giedo Van der Garde, the Anglo-Dutch trio going on to win the 2016 titles in the final season of open top prototypes.
The huge 20 car LMP3 grid saw plenty of action with the no2 United Autosports Ligier of Alex Brundle, Mike Guasch and Christian England taking the chequered flag on their way to the 2016 LMP3 crown.
Porsche finally took the top spot at Imola on the fourth and final attempt, with the no77 Proton Competition 911 RSR 991 of Michael Hedlund, Wolf Henzler and Robert Renauer finishing over one lap ahead of the no66 JMW Motorsport and no56 AT Racing Ferraris.
After five races at Monza, the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is now waiting to welcome back the European Le Mans Series and to resume with great action packed racing on the 13-15 May 2022.
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari
Imola, which is situated 40km east of Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, was opened in 1953 and the current 4.9km circuit is one of only a handful of major international circuits that runs in an anti-clockwise direction.
2013
Imola was included in the first season of the relaunched European le Mans Series in 2013, with 28 cars starting the 3 Hours of Imola on Sunday 18thMay 2013.The race was won by Pierre Thiriet and Mathias Beche in the no1 Thiriet by TDS Racing Oreca-Nissan, with Thiriet winning the first of three races from four starts at Imola (2013/2015/2016).
The first ELMS race at Imola was also notable for Ferrari taking a 1-2-3 in LMGTE with Johnny Mowlem and Matt Griffin winning in the no52 RAM Racing F458 Italia on their way to that year’s team and driver titles.Ferrari dominated the Imola GTE podium filling 10 of the 12 places in the four races held at the track.
The 2013 season was also the last the LMPC ‘baby’ prototype category, which saw Paul Loup Chatin also win at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari alongside Gary Hirsch on his way to the first of his three ELMS driver titles.
2014
In 2014 the grid had grown to 37 cars and the race was now 4-hours in duration.With LMPC being dropped for the 2014 season, there were three classes – LMP2, LMGTE and GTC, the latter for GT3 machinery.
The 2014 race was won by the no38 JOTA Sport Zytek-Nissan of Simon Dolan, Harry Tincknell and Filipe Albuquerque.Reigning LMP2 champion Nelson Panciatici had been joined by LMPC Champion Paul Loup Chatin and Oliver Webb in the no36 Signatech Alpine A450 and finished third in Imola on their way to the 2014 LMP2 title.
It was another Ferrari 1-2-3 in LMGTE in 2014 with Andrea Bertolini, Viktor Shaitar and Sergey Zlobin SMP Racing taking the victory in the no72 SMP Racing F458 by just 1.035 seconds ahead of Kessel Racing and JMW Motorsport.Ferrari also took a 1-2-3 in the GTC category with Mikkel Mac, Johnny Laursen and Andrea Piccini taking the flag in the no60 Formula Racing GT3 spec Ferrari.
2015
In 2015 Pierre Thiriet was back on the top step of the overall podium for the second time at Imola, the French driver winning alongside Ludovic Badey and Tristan Gommendy in the no46 Thiriet by TDS Racing Oreca.
2015 also marked the first season of the LMP3 category, with Imola being the only time the no3 Team LNT Ginetta of Chris Hoy and Charlie Robertson failed to win.The win went to the no7 University of Bolton Ginetta Nissan of Rob Garofall and Morten Dons.
The LMGTE victory at Imola in 2015 went to the no56 AT Racing Ferrari of Alexander Talkinitsa Senior and Junior, with Ferrari factory driver Alessandro Pier Guidi.The Ferrari finished just three seconds ahead of the no88 Proton Competition Porsche, with Richard Lietz, Christian Ried and Marco Mapelli taking the German manufacturer’s first LMGTE ELMS podium at Imola.
AF Corse scored a 1-2-3 in the GTC class with Rino Mastronardi, Stuart Hall and Francesco Castellacci winning by over a lap in the no62 Ferrari F458 Italia GT3.
2016
A massive 41 car grid lined up for the last 4 Hours of Imola in 2016.The grid was back to three classes – LMP2, LMP3 and LMGTE – with the GT3 cars now running in their own series at Imola, the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup.
Pierre Thiriet took his third win from four starts at Imola, this time alongside Mathias Beche, who he had won with in 2013, and young Japanese hotshot Ryo Hirakawa.They finished 19 seconds ahead of the no38 G-Drive Racing Gibson-Nissan of Simon Dolan, Harry Tincknell and Giedo Van der Garde, the Anglo-Dutch trio going on to win the 2016 titles in the final season of open top prototypes.
The huge 20 car LMP3 grid saw plenty of action with the no2 United Autosports Ligier of Alex Brundle, Mike Guasch and Christian England taking the chequered flag on their way to the 2016 LMP3 crown.
Porsche finally took the top spot at Imola on the fourth and final attempt, with the no77 Proton Competition 911 RSR 991 of Michael Hedlund, Wolf Henzler and Robert Renauer finishing over one lap ahead of the no66 JMW Motorsport and no56 AT Racing Ferraris.
After five races at Monza, the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is now waiting to welcome back the European Le Mans Series and to resume with great action packed racing on the 13-15 May 2022.
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari
