There are tracks that don’t need to sell themselves — they just need to exist. Circuits that, regardless of the decade, continue to pulse with the rhythm of engines that no longer race. Imola is one of them. And hearing Max Verstappen say that losing it is “a shame” is more than a complaint; it’s an echo of what many of us feel — even those of us who grew up watching Formula 1 transform into as much spectacle as it is sport.Sometimes I wonder exactly when we stopped valuing imperfect corners and gravel run-offs in favor of neon lights, walls, and DRS zones drawn with a ruler. Don’t get me wrong — evolution is necessary. But so is remembering what we’re leaving behind.
Imola has not always been synonymous with thrilling races. In fact, many — rightfully — argue that it rarely offered overtaking or strategic chaos. But Imola doesn’t live off spectacle. It thrives on tension. On mistakes that are punished. On races where silence weighs as much as engine roars. It’s a track that demands you drive, not just steer.
The problem is, that no longer seems to be enough.
Each year, the calendar inflates with new destinations. And every new venue seems to have something in common: bigger checks than history. City streets turned circuits. Luxury hospitality boxes designed more for Instagram than for fans who live for the thrill of a daring overtake. We are sold races that look like festivals — but leave little trace once the podium lights fade.
Call it nostalgia, if you want. Maybe that’s true. Maybe this is the lament of someone raised hearing names like Monza, Suzuka, or Interlagos spoken like prayers. But it’s not just about the past. It’s about identity. Because when you start trading who you are for what you can sell, you’re not growing — you’re giving up.
Max has won at Imola. He likes it — of course. But he also understands what it represents. It’s not just another track in Italy. It’s part of Formula 1’s DNA. A place that smells of old fuel, spring rain, and memories of greatness and tragedy.
We can argue about the need for smaller cars, different rules, technical upgrades. But there’s one thing regulations can’t adjust: the soul. And if we keep trading history for LED lights, it won’t be the sport evolving — it’ll be losing itself.
Maybe Imola won’t come back. Maybe Spa will become a biannual event. Maybe Zandvoort will fall too. And still, we’ll keep watching Sunday mornings. But a part of us — the part that loves the details, the mistakes, the silences — will know that something was lost along the way.
And yes, Max. You’re right. It is a shame.
A big one.
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