MisanoMisano World Circuit is a motor racing circuit located at the Adriatic coast line of Italy, close to the touristic hotspots of Cattolica and Rimini
Racing was first proposed at Misano, near the Adriatic coast, in 1969 when plans for a new autodrome under private ownership were put forward for the first time. While the initial proposals drew some praise, question marks as to their suitability for car racing were quickly raised and a larger parcel of land was acquired. A revised design for the Autodromo di Santamonica was approved in 1970 and construction began in November of that year.
The new circuit was finished by the following year, though it was not inaugurated for racing until August 1972. A largely flat design which switched back upon itself several times, it was one of the new breed of circuits emerging in the 1970s; safe by the standards of the day, but perhaps not the most inspiring to drive. Facilities were simple; the pits were small and open, alongside which sat a building used exclusively to house racetrack offices. One unusual element of the new circuit was the floodlighting, which allowed for the staging of night racing.
Circuit bosses began planning changes to win back the MotoGP circus in 2005. A radical renovation and modernisation project began with the construction of a new main entrance, followed in 2006by a new 300 square metre medical centre. At the end of the 2006 season the circuit closed for a total overhaul, aimed at creating the most modern of facilities.
Remarkably, after just five months, the revised and renamed Misano World Circuit emerged. The layout remained familiar, though in reality very little of the original circuit layout remained. Perhaps the most significant change was the decision to run the new course in a clockwise direction, reversing the previous circuit direction. Greater run off areas, modern safety barriers and massively enhanced spectator facilities, with seating for 23,000 people were among the changes. Four new entrances to the circuit also dramatically improved spectator access.
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In 1983, in a move to promote tourism in the region, all of the circuit's corners were re-named after local towns, though the circuit itself was unchanged. Inevitably, the original corner names remained popular and in common usage, so over time the circuit reverted back to using many of them. Curva del Carro translates as 'wagon curve', while Tramonto means 'sunset' and Quercia 'The Oak'. Curva Brutapela was named after a farmer who farmed the nearby fields.
