The Fiorano Circuit is a private racetrack owned by Ferrari for development and testing purposes. It is located in Fiorano Modenese, near the Italian town of Maranello. Built in 1972, it was originally 8.4 metres (27.6 ft) wide and 3000 metres (1.86 miles) long. In 1992, a chicane was added making it 3021 metres (1.88 miles) long, then in 1996 a new renovated track was introduced (a fast bend to replace a sharp corner at the end of the pit straight) which shortened the total length by 24 metres (0.02 miles). The average F1 lap speed is over 160 km/h (99 mph) and the F1 top speed is 290 km/h (180 mph). As Fiorano is a testing track, it has a wide range of corner types, with corner diameters between 370 metres (1,213.9 ft) and 13.71 metres (45.0 ft). Thus Ferrari is able to simulate corner and track types of other Grand Prix circuits. The track is equipped with telemetry sensors and a large skidpad for tyre testing. In 2001 an irrigation system using rain collected in eight cisterns was installed to simulate wet track conditions. When Scuderia Ferrari are testing a F1 car at the track, it is common to see Tifosi watching the test from the roadside, which is the closest point from which the track is viewable to the public. Ferrari customers are allowed to test drive new cars at the Fiorano circuit. The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is named after this track. In the 26 years from the time the track opened until his death in 1988, Enzo Ferrari would either sit in his house which was located at the circuit and listen to, or actually sit track side and watch his beloved scarlet Formula One cars testing. Legend has it that this was actually the real reason that the "old man" had the circuit built, so he could enjoy his cars and his drivers without the presence of other F1 cars or the press. In reality Ferrari made the decision of building his own testing track when he realised that the Modena Autodrome could no longer serve this purpose. The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is an auto racing circuit near the Italian town of Imola, 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) east of Bologna and 80 kilometres (49.7 mi) east of the Ferrari factory in Maranello. The circuit is named after Ferrari's late founder Enzo and his son Dino who had died in the 1950s. Before Enzo Ferrari's death in 1988 it was called 'Autodromo Dino Ferrari'. The circuit has FIA Grade 1 license. It was the venue for the Formula One San Marino Grand Prix (for many years two Grands Prix were held in Italy every year, so the race held at Imola was named after the nearby state) and it also hosted the 1980 edition of the Italian Grand Prix, which usually takes place in Monza. When Formula One visits Imola, it is seen as the 'home circuit' of Ferrari and masses of tifosi (Ferrari supporters) come out to support the local team. Imola, as it is colloquially known, is one of the few major international circuits to run in an anti-clockwise direction. (Istanbul Park, Korea International Circuit, Marina Bay Street Circuit, Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Circuit of the Americas, and the Yas Marina Circuit are other anti-clockwise circuits used recently by Formula One.) The track was inaugurated as a semi- permanent venue in 1953, and it had no chicanes, so the run from Rivazza all the way to Tosa, through the pits and the Tamburello was totally flat out, as was the run from Acque Minerali all the way to Rivazza was just a long straight with a few small bends; and the circuit remained in this configuration until 1972. In April 1953, the first motorcycle races took place, while the first car race took place in June 1954. In April 1963, the circuit hosted its first Formula One race, as a non-championship event, won by Jim Clark for Lotus. A further non-championship event took place at Imola in 1979, which was won by Niki Lauda for Brabham-Alfa Romeo. In 1980 Imola officially debuted in the Formula One calendar by hosting the 50th Italian Grand Prix. It was the first time since the 1948 Edition held at Parco del Valentino that the Autodromo Nazionale Monza did not host the Italian Grand Prix. The race was won by Nelson Piquet and it was such a success that a new race, the San Marino Grand Prix, was established especially for Imola in 1981. The race was held over 60 laps of the 5.000-kilometre circuit for a total race distance of 300 kilometres. The track was also used as part of the finishing circuit for the 1968 UCI Road World Championships, which saw Italian cyclist Vittorio Adorni winning with a lead of 10 minutes and 10 seconds over runner up Herman Van Springel, the second largest winning margin in the history of the championships, after Georges Ronsse's victory in 1928. In addition Adorni's countryman Michele Dancelli took the bronze and five of the top six finishers were Italian.The circuit was also used for stage 11 of the 2015 Giro d'Italia, which was won by Ilnur Zakarin.

• published: 06 Jun 2015
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