Everything is ready in Imola for the 2025 Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix — but there’s already some early controversy brewing on social media.
The wait is almost over, anticipation is rising, and Formula 1 is officially revving its engines: it’s time for the Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix 2025, better known simply as the Imola Grand Prix.
And, as with every major event involving hundreds of thousands of fans, it doesn’t take long for discontent to surface.
Many Italian fans have already voiced their complaints about the official Grand Prix poster: no issues with the colors or graphics, but rather… a pretty glaring omission that doesn’t quite fit the location of F1’s seventh round of the 2025 season.
F1, controversy over Imola poster: here’s what happened
It’s not a major logistical or sporting issue, but a detail that many didn’t appreciate — a rare misstep by the Formula 1 media team, usually praised for their top-quality content and strong attention to detail.
So let’s look at the poster itself to understand what’s missing.
In the lower part, you can see the Tosa corner, with a sea of fans waving Ferrari and Italian flags. Above, there are images of Lewis Hamilton, Alexander Albon, and Liam Lawson.
But who’s missing? That’s easy to spot: there’s no sign or mention of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the true local hero, born in Bologna — just 40 kilometers from the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
This small oversight has sparked questions from some fans. The choice of Liam Lawson makes sense given Racing Bulls is based in Faenza — but Alexander Albon’s inclusion raised more eyebrows, considering neither he nor Williams have any strong ties to the Emilia-Romagna region.
Photo: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, Formula 1