Why Imola's step back in time is refreshing for F1's future

OPINION: Although Imola hardly yielded a classic Formula 1 race in the 2022 edition of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the atmosphere that enveloped the round underlined the value of hosting F1 races at classic venues, a scarcity in the championship's recent visits to less historic environs

Let’s not sugarcoat things: Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was not a Formula 1 race that will live long in the memory for the on-track spectacle.

The anticipation in the build-up about the damp conditions and possibility of more rain hitting mid-race ultimately descended into a fairly tepid affair. The race looked settled from half-distance, and barring Charles Leclerc’s late spin into the barriers, little happened to disprove that.

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Author Luke Smith

Luke Smith is Autosport’s Formula 1 reporter. Luke has been working in F1 as a journalist since 2013, initially alongside a History degree at University College London. Luke served as the lead F1 writer at American broadcaster NBC Sports from 2013-17 before spending two years as the F1 Editor for Crash.net. Luke joined Autosport for the 2020 season.

Luke is also a contributor to The New York Times for its F1 special reports, and has previously worked with Al Jazeera and CNBC, as well as hosting FIA press conferences. Outside of F1, Luke is a fan of sports and music, with an ever-growing vinyl collection, and has being bitten by the running bug in recent years. He also runs a surprisingly popular blog reviewing the often-terrible media centre coffee from his F1 travels.