SimHQ.com - Motorsports Zone - Feature: The Modern Formula One Circuits

Imola If drivers hate the “stop-start” nature of the chicanes at Imola, they love the vertical relief. Part of the famous Imola circuit was, like many tracks in Europe, originally an undulating and picturesque public road. Unfortunately, like many public roads in Europe, it is relatively narrow.

Therefore, Imola is very much a “one line” track and passing opportunities are limited. It is worth noting at this point that using the curbs is essential to getting a fast lap time at Imola.

While the track surface is relatively smooth (as opposed to Interlagos) and the curbs are fairly low (as opposed to Monza), using the curbs prevents you from choosing stiff damping rates. Especially on the crested Variante Alta, where the suspension unloads, stiff damping rates will allow the car to skip across the curbs. At worst, this can caused a spin, but even at best, the brief loss of traction will hamper your ability to get on the throttle as soon as possible exiting the corner.

We will take each one of the eight corners, complexes, or chicanes at Imola in turn, no pun intended.

1. Tamburello

A lap starts on the pit straight reaching speeds of 190 MPH before braking hard for the entry into the Tamburello complex. I often trail brake into the first corner, hopping the curb on the left side of the corner while dropping down into second gear. Having negotiated the first part of Tamburello, the key now is to accelerate as hard as possible through the shallow right-hand section and get a good run on the throttle into the final left-hand bend that places you on the short straight down to the Villeneuve chicane. It is easy to be greedy for the exit here and loop the car on the throttle.

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