Mugello [ Aug 2014 ]

Mugello track day, August 2014

Mugello, in the hills of Tuscany north of Florence, is owned by Ferrari and widely considered one of the most beautiful circuits in the world. It hosts the Italian round of MotoGP, where tens of thousands of fans fill the hillsides every year.

The track flows naturally through the landscape, with fast, sweeping corners such as the Arrabbiata bends and plenty of elevation change. Its main straight is one of the fastest on the MotoGP calendar, with bikes reaching well over 300 km/h before braking hard for San Donato at the end of it.

Mugello demands commitment and smoothness in equal measure. High-speed direction changes and blind crests reward riders who carry momentum and stay calm on the bike, and for many riders a day here is a highlight of their time on track. The surrounding Tuscan countryside, with its hill towns, vineyards and winding roads, makes a trip to Mugello about much more than the circuit itself. Florence, Bologna and the coast are all within easy reach, so many riders turn a Mugello track day into a longer Italian trip.

The circuit's facilities and surface are built to the standards of a MotoGP venue, and the run-off areas are generous for such a fast track. Even so, its speed means that it rewards a gradual build-up over the day, learning the reference points before pushing towards the limit.