The milestone of 50 years for the Misano World Circuit

Il Misano World Circuit turns 50 on Saturday August 6th, 2022 . Half a century of history as the theater of important sporting events, starting from the first official races held way back August 6th, 1972, a day characterized by numerous challenges with pilots such as Vittorio Brambilla, Giancarlo Martini and Arturo Merzario as protagonists.

The anniversary

I have passed 50 years since a temporary landing strip for American aircraft, during the period of the Great War, represented a source of inspiration for creating the straight of a facility which today hosts four tracks: the international runway, the Arena Flat Track of over a thousand meters and not asphalted, the Handling track also known as the Misanino and the one aimed at karting.
Historically, the track took shape at the request of Enzo Ferrari, who was present at the inauguration. Together with him, a group of entrepreneurs from the Riviera, passionate and motivated in involving the Modenese engineer Umberto Cavazzuti for the definition of the circuit. An awareness linked to the need for a facility that responded to the enormous passion for motorsport in the area, since the beginning of the 900th century, also to free the roads from scheduled events, considering the increasingly high risk for drivers and the public.
Since then, over a thousand events with many challenges have projected the MWC into the ranks of the international tracks par excellence. The motorbikes, for example, officially appeared on the Misano track way back on 13 August 1972. The winners on that occasion were Giacomo Agostini in the 350 class, Renzo Pasolini in the 250, Otello Buscherini in the 125 and Guido Mandracci in the 750.
The facility currently can accommodate over 100 thousand spectators, evaluating the configuration of a large Motor Park with the MWC Square and the new Pit Building also dedicated to the historical multimedia archive and spaces for themed exhibitions. There are already two exhibitions present, with the current "50 shooting of racing" which celebrates the first 50 years of life of the circuit and accessible until the end of 2022. With the MotoGP in September other events, given the presentation of a celebratory publication.
The MWC, at full capacity, also represents an economic driver with over 160 million euros of related activities in the heart of the "Motor Valley", with a production of over 710 thousand room nights, 90% of which in the accommodation facilities of the province of Rimini. The progress made on an environmental level is also interesting, so much so that in the year of this anniversary it obtained the "Three Stars" accreditation in 2022 and the ISO 20121 certification as the standard for the Certification of the Sustainable Event Management System, the only motorsport system accredited in Italy by TÜV SÜD, as mentioned.
After over thirty years of growth, the new chapter began in 2006 with the modification of the route, in just five months the runway was lengthened to 4.226 meters with the reversal of the direction of travel and interventions on the structural parts, also changing the name from Santamonica to Misano World Circuit.
Works necessary to host the MotoGP and respond to the great passion for motor sports. Furthermore, the track has acquired global recognition thanks to the brand identity project that involves the territory.

Photo credit: Sampaolesi family archive, from left: Rag. Carlo Bianchini Massoni (CEO Santa Monica Spa), Engineer Francesco Sampaolesi (President Santa Monica Spa), entrepreneur Alberto Ricci, Engineer Enzo Ferrari.