Armed Forces Racing League 2025: Old-school corners, neck muscles, and a Phantom chasing ghosts.

Report by: Dean Bowditch

The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo Dino Ferrari is more than a racetrack — it’s a high-stakes arena that for decades has defined rivalries, rewritten reputations, and occasionally rewritten the laws of physics.

The 1989 San Marino Grand Prix saw McLaren teammates Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost detonate a friendship in front of the Tifosi, when Senna ignored a “gentleman’s agreement” and dived past Prost on the restart. This was a betrayal that sparked one of Formula 1’s most toxic feuds.

Fast-forward sixteen years, and the 2005 San Marino Grand Prix gave us the symbolic changing of the guard: Fernando Alonso, young and audacious, fending off Michael Schumacher for twelve breathless laps to win by 0.2 seconds. Imola has never just hosted races, it has staged morality plays.

And so, the Lossie Phantoms arrived for Round Four of the Armed Forces Racing League, hosted by Company of Makers and their ever-patient pit crew of well being, competition, and chaos.

The Track itself? Old-School, Unforgiving, and Anti-Clockwise. Imola remains a relic of courage due to the narrow, fast, and gloriously old-school characteristics it developed.

It’s the home of the dreaded Tamburello, once lethal yet now tamed — the first big braking zone where hope meets kerb. Then onwards to Tosa, a hairpin that rewards patience and punishes pride. Next comes the blind, uphill, faith-based Piratella, soon followed by Acque Minerali with its downhill rhythm and constant peril — probably the best-named corner on a track, in the world. Finally there’s Rivazza, the final act that decides whether you finish strong or start apologising to your mechanic.

Time Trial Results:

Real World OFFICIAL F1 2024 Pole Position: Max Verstappen, 1:14.746

Event Time Trial Winning Time 1:14.213

Best Mighty Phantom: Dean Bowditch – 1:18.422

Roughly four seconds adrift — a pit-stop every six laps if we were racing wheel-to-wheel.

The Lap? As always, I left traction control on. Yes, yes — heresy. But Imola is another track that punishes optimism. Sector 1? Lightning McQueen levels of self-belief. Sector 2? Confidence wobbling. By Acque Minerali, I was sliding between “genius” and “gravel trap applicant.” And Rivazza? Let’s just say the apex and I were on non-speaking terms.

Again, I would estimate that half a second was probably left on the table. Who knows, maybe more. But that’s sim racing for you. The leader board doesn’t grade on effort, only milliseconds.

In reflection, Imola doesn’t care about excuses. It’s a test of rhythm, commitment, and how well you handle being slightly terrified for 78 seconds straight. The Phantoms leave with lessons learned, necks sore, and spirits mostly intact.

Next stop, who knows?!? It'll be another new circuit, another time trial, and another round of hubris versus stopwatch.

👻 The Mighty Phantoms

 🛡️ SGT Dean Bowditch