Track VS Track: Imola versus Mugello

[Davide Nativo]

These Italian venues have a lot in common, yet they are profoundly different. Which one do you like more?

Imola and the Mugello are known to be extremely popular, among both the drivers and the fans. The reason why is very simple: they have a pretty spot on combination of fast curves, long straights, and tight hairpins, with frequent changes of elevation, making them equally challenging and incredibly rewarding when driven properly. They are technical circuits, very demanding on the driver and hard to master.

Because of said technical nature, it is also difficult to get down to a perfect setup for either track, having to balance speed vs downforce. To win at Imola or at the Mugello, it means that you have to be very brave, very good, and a bit lucky. Possibly, exactly in that order.

Both have received the ‘Grade 1’ homologation from the FIA, which means they are both candidates to host F1 races (Imola very much did so until the recent past), and F1 drivers are indeed pushing to move away from Monza to either one of these two Italian venues.

They also have a lot of history and background in motor racing, since their origins date far back. Imola was born from the start as a permanent road course, seeing its first international race hosted in 1954. The races held at the Mugello were instead driven on public streets, which were very dangerous mountain roads, essentially narrow mule tracks often soaked in mud. Enzo Ferrari used to like racing here very much and truth be told many drivers of the period did too, being a very masculine competition. The modern permanent road course was instead built in 1972 after a dramatic accident in 1970 on the classic circuit costed the life of an infant, and the venue was therefore shut down.

Either track have also been featured in some of the most important racing sims available, with Imola being present in Assetto Corsa, iRacing, Automobilista, RaceRoom and in the Project Cars franchise. The Mugello received a bit less love from sim developers, but a beautiful laser scan rendition of the track is offered in Assetto Corsa and is very popular among the simracers using it.

Wrapping things up, which one do you prefer? The classic Imola or the more aggressive looking Mugello? Which one would you maybe like to see in future F1 seasons?

Vote in the poll and Let us know in the comments below!

 

 

[cerebralvortex]

I like both a lot, couldn't pick one ..

 

[formidable]

I enjoy more, by far, on Imola

 

[Enzo Fazzi]

Hands down Mugello. What a track, amazing flow. Already loved it in the usual sims, started loving it more after playing MotoGP 18. Oh and it's close to where my family comes from.

 

[Nick Hill]

I have to agree, I would have a hard time choosing as I think they are both great. Mugellos corners are heavily weighted towards "sweepers" wheras Imola feels a bit more angular. That's my impression/vocabulary, at least.

I think what they both have in common which makes them stand out is (1) good elevation change and (2) an inordinate number of turns that have to be approached in combination with one another.

 

[homecalendar]

Definitely Imola. Mugello is a bit boring

 

[Andy-R]

Imola feels like a stop start track and with the annoying curbs you have to clatter over it is not a particularly enjoyable driving experience for me. Mugello on the other hand with its fast sweeping curves is very good fun.

 

[ShredatorFIN]

Imola is a very difficult, technical track. Mugello is a bit "easier" perhaps. Both are nice in different ways

 

[Ville-Samuli Mutanen]

Imola is one of my all-time favourites but I also like Mugello. Imola is wonderful track where you can lose a lot of time if not putting enough thought into driving line. Mugello on the other hand is quite frustrating because it's so hard on tyres.

Anyway. Easy to choose the winner: Imola.

Edit: Not that easy actually :
Imola for High Downforce cars and Mugello for less-stable cars.

 

[cerebralvortex]

Imola feels like a stop start track and with the annoying curbs you have to clatter over it is not a particularly enjoyable driving experience for me. Mugello on the other hand with its fast sweeping curves is very good fun.

I can see why you are saying that since you like the oldies

 

[Red_Falcon]

Imola, my inofficial Test Track

 

[gamer19]

Both ?
Imola for cars and Mugello for bikes, simple as that.

 

[Joseph Wright]

I'm not a big fan of either circuit if I'm being totally honest. I know if I were to drive them both for a few hours in a race session I would enjoy them - as I do with any track, but for hotlapping, neither one would be near the top of my go-to-track list.

 

[BhZ]

playing MotoGP 18

So that's what you were doing instead of practicing, huh?

 

[Toonces]

Imola, pre-Senna (and yes, it's avail for AC, in all its rusticated glory).

 

[Kevin Bradley]

Tough question.

Much as I like imola I always struggle with being fast at there - never quite got the feel of it somehow.

Voted for mugello. I like the general flow of the track and some of the corners are great fun, in particular the section around the back of the circuit where it drops away over the right hander, into the left and immediately into the double right. Love it!

 

[Steve Worrell]

I voted imola as it's a boyhood classic. However, I've just discovered how amazing mugello is so I had to stop and think about it.

 

[Ville-Samuli Mutanen]

I'm not a big fan of either circuit if I'm being totally honest. I know if I were to drive them both for a few hours in a race session I would enjoy them - as I do with any track, but for hotlapping, neither one would be near the top of my go-to-track list.

I would say exactly the opposite. Both are fantastic for hotlapping but not so good for racing.

 

[Terry Rock]

Mugello gets my vote.
I absolutely love that circuit.
Until Bridgehampton and Feldberg came along, it and Spa were my 'go to' tracks for just about everything.
It just has a bit of something for everyone to enjoy simracing...good run to first corner, good flowing turns at the top of hill, good power section, off-camber, on-camber turns, uphill sweeper, downhill power-turns.
It's just fun.

 

[treza94]

Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli ^^ Just to keep thinking to SuperSic #58 and because it's awesome to ride with a motorcycle ^^
And Mugello for the Motogp Grand Prix with Grande Vale