Attention to the environment, inclusion, renewable energy, green mobility: the circuit at the forefront of increasingly responsible motorsport
On the occasion of the Formula 1 AWS Grand Prix of Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna 2025, Imola and the Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Autodrome of Imola once again present themselves as a model of sustainable innovation, adopting an articulated plan of actions integrating environment, energy, inclusion and responsible mobility. The Autodromo, it should be recalled, already has International Iso 20121 and Iso 14001 certification, as well as being awarded three FIA stars, the world’s highest award for sustainability in motorsport.
RECYCLING AND REDUCTION OF PLASTICS
In cooperation with COREPLA, the circuit joins the RecoPET campaign to encourage PET recycling. During the race weekend, eco-compactors will be installed in the Fanzone, selective containers in the refreshment areas and a team of Green Rangers will involve the public in collecting bottles.
To reduce single-use plastic, 15 rechargeable water stations that can be geolocalised via app will be available in the Mineral Water Park, as well as 14,000 km0 Tetrapack water bricks and 20,000 reusable cups branded with the circuit logo.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND GREEN MOBILITY
New flooring made of 100 per cent recycled plastic was laid in the paddock, which avoids the emission of more than 1,500 kg of CO₂. On the mobility front, Trenitalia and TPER are offering special trains and enhanced services, while bike sharing has been expanded and incentivised with new dedicated parking areas.
BIODIVERSITY AND NATURE
‘Il Bosco dell’Autodromo’ is one of the urban forestation projects implemented in Imola thanks to the MITE call. 2,480 trees were planted in an area a few hundred metres from the Autodromo, along the Santerno cycle route. The positive impact of this forest, in terms of absorption of CO2, particulate matter and pollutants, is monitored by the University of Florence and accompanied by signs on the site that tell the user about these aspects. On F1 days the forest will be enhanced with the planting of 20 new trees, one for each driver, together with representatives of the local authorities, Carabinieri Biodiversity, ACI and F1. The Biodiversity Village, with 10 thematic stands in the Acque Minerali Park, will promote environmental culture and legality thanks to the cooperation with the Carabinieri Biodiversity Group.
INCLUSION AND EDUCATION
The circuit hosts the Awabots programme, which allows patients at the Montecatone Rehabilitation Hospital, the Sant’Orsola Polyclinic Paediatric Oncohaematology Unit and the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute’s Paediatric and Osteo-oncology Departments to experience the paddock from a distance: Formula 1 drivers and protagonists will talk to young patients through monitors connected directly from the circuit. The autistic teenagers of the Il Tortellante project will run a food stand in the paddock garden and the boys of the Speciabili group from Imola will be involved in the distribution of ice cream, also in the paddock. The Tartaruga social cooperative created two flowerbeds in Viale Dante for the Giardini in corsa 2025 competition
As far as the involvement of students and young people is concerned, here are the initiatives put in place:
– Competition of drawings and multimedia content on the theme of F1 and the racetrack for primary and secondary school students (award ceremony in FanZone on Thursday afternoon)
– Challenge WOW Women Motor, on the theme of Prejudices and Gender Equality, with activities in the paddock in collaboration with Pirelli, MUNER and Italian universities (award ceremony in FanZone on Thursday afternoon by Mario Isola, PirelliF1)
– Event for high school students ‘Il coraggio di Sognare’ (The Courage to Dream), third edition, in which some of the protagonists of motorsport will talk to students about how to achieve their goals by following their dreams and passions (present this year among others Andrea Pontremoli, CEO Dallara and President Motorvalley, Ernesto Desiderio Engineer Racing Bulls, Valter Villadei, Astronaut, Nadia Gresini, CEO Gresini Racing, Carlo Vanzini, Sky journalist)
EFFICIENT AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
All the circuit’s electricity supply is now from certified Guarantee of Origin renewable sources. The photovoltaic system of the Checco Costa Museum was upgraded, producing enough energy for 48 households. With the new relamping of the box building, energy savings of 76 per cent and an annual CO₂ reduction of over 45 tonnes are estimated. Together with the municipality, work continues on the creation of an energy community that will have the Autodrome as its core.
SOLIDARITY AND COMBATING WASTE
Also confirmed for this year is the collection of unused food in the paddock, by the volunteers of the charity No Sprechi ODV, to support people in fragile situations through the ‘Un s’bóta veja gnét’ project.
Statement by Autodromo councillor Elena Penazzi
‘We work every day in close synergy with Formula Imola to make the Autodromo a permanent laboratory of sustainability. Motorsport can and must be the protagonist of a positive change: greener, fairer, closer to the community. This is why we are very proud to present Formula 1 with this programme, full of many elements and innovation. I would like to thank Deputy Mayor Elisa Spada, with whom we work closely to realise many of these projects’.
Statement by Deputy Mayor in charge of Environment and Sustainable Mobility Elisa Spada
‘Over the past few years we have built a vision of a sustainable racetrack in close relationship with the city, which becomes the engine and promoter of the 2030 agenda goals: from sustainable mobility, to renewable and shared energy, to combating food waste, to biodiversity, to nature as a system of mitigation and adaptation to climate change. We have done this through concrete actions accompanied by the quantification of the positive impact. An excellent example is the Autodromo forest, one of the forestation interventions on municipal territory, which is accompanied by monitoring that quantifies its benefits from the moment it is planted for the next 30 years; an action that has benefited our entire community since the Autodromo’.
Statement by Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Circuit Director Pietro Benvenuti
‘Our Autodrome is not only an iconic venue for motorsport, but also a concrete laboratory of sustainable practices. We work every year to integrate environmental, social and energy solutions that have a real and measurable impact. The Grand Prix is a moment of maximum international visibility, and we want to take this opportunity to show that passion for racing can go hand in hand with responsible innovation and respect for the environment’.
