A record-breaking edition

The ninth edition of Historic Minardi Day set a new attendance record: over 20,000 visitors across the two days, confirming its status as one of the landmark events of the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola. Paddock, pit boxes, terraces, and grandstands came alive with fans eager to celebrate 40 years of Formula 1 and more than 50 years of international motorsport, with over 700 historic cars in all their glory.

Weekend highlights

The event was inaugurated by Gian Carlo Minardi aboard the 1960 Lotus Elane driven by Roberto Farneti, followed by the McLaren “SENNA” created by CRESPI, brought to the track by Luciano Crespi wearing Ayrton Senna’s original suit and helmet, evoking the 1990 World Championship.

At the Checco Costa Museum, a special exhibition celebrated 40 years of the Minardi Team in Formula 1, showcasing seven iconic single-seaters from four decades of competition, from the 1985 M185 to the 2025 Racing Bulls VCARB 02, including the M189, M192, M193, as well as the Toro Rosso STR03 and STR05.

On track, fifteen daily sessions featured F. Junior, F. Abarth, F. Italia, Formula 2, 3 and 4, GP3, GP2, F3000, Prototypes, Historic GT and GTS, with prestigious teams such as Scuderia del Portello, Scuderia Tazio Nuvolari, Registro Italiano Alfa Romeo, Club Motori Modena, and Fondazione Gino Macaluso. Among the most anticipated cars were Hypercars and Supercars including Pagani, Lamborghini, Dallara, Pambuffetti, Mazda MX-5, and Lotus.

The excitement continued with historic Formula 1 cars, from the 1970 March 701 to the 2011 Williams FW33, including the Lotus 72E/5, Shadow DN3 and DN12, Tyrrell P34, Wolf WR1, Arrows A/1, Lotus Type 91, Osella FA1G, Minardi M189, Monteverdi, Fondmetal GR03, Ferrari 412 T1, Arrows A20, Minardi PS04/B, along with the McLaren MP4-15 signed by Mika Häkkinen.

The event also brought together many leading figures from the world of motorsport, from engineers (Aldo Costa, Gabriele Tredozi, Nigel Cowperthwaite, Alessandro Mazzali, Luca Furbatto, Giorgio Piola) to drivers (Ivan Capelli, Alessandro Nannini, Arturo Merzario, Pierluigi Martini, Riccardo Patrese, Philippe Alliot, Thierry Boutsen, Miguel Ángel Guerra, and many more).

Among the most moving moments: the presentation of the 4th “Nando Minardi” Memorial Award to artist Alessandro Rasponi with his exhibition Ayrton through Colors; the prize to the Minardi Club Como; and the ACI award delivered to Gian Carlo Minardi by General Tullio Del Sette. Not to be forgotten, the parade on track featuring Merzario, Martini, Moreno, and Guerra driving legendary cars.

Finally, the program was completed with the ACI Storico initiatives: the Mugello Road Circuit, with 20 crews, and the Terre di Romagna Rally, with 131 crews visiting the Racing Bulls F1 Team before returning to the track.

As Pietro Benvenuti, General Director of the Circuit, stated: Historic Minardi Day has once again confirmed Imola as the beating heart of motorsport.