Located close to Rimini, Misano has long been one of Italy’s premier international circuits, without ever aspiring to F1 status – although it has been used for testing. Opened in 1972 and remodelled in 1993 and again in 2006, the track is notable for featuring mainly slow speed corners and a lack of gradients. Misano hosted the FIA European F2 series from 1973 to 1984, with many future F1 stars taking part. Among the big names to win the Adriatic Grand Prix were Hans Stuck, Bruno Giacomelli, Andrea de Cesaris and Michele Alboreto. There was a one-off FIA World Sportscar Championship race in 1978, won by Henri Pescarolo and Bob Wollek, while European F3 events were held in the eighties. Misano joined the DTM calendar in 2018. The venue is perhaps best known internationally for hosting MotoGP events, under a variety of names. In the eighties the Nations GP and San Marino GP identities were used, while Misano twice hosted the Italian GP in 1991 and 1993. After a break the venue returned under the San Marino GP name in 2007, and it has remained on the schedule ever since. In 2012 the track was officially named in honour of local hero and MotoGP star Marco Simoncelli, who sadly lost his life in the previous year’s Malaysian GP.