Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, known as Circuito Internazionale Santa Monica prior to 2006, is one of Italy’s most important circuits.

Opened in 1972, the original circuit was around 3.5 km in length and at the time boasted a modern, if somewhat flat, racing circuit.

The first major event came in Grand Prix motorcycle racing in 1985 and the circuit hosted for three years, then again twice in the early 1990s, the latter only after the circuit was extended to bring it up to the minimum length requirements for MotoGP.

The return of MotoGP in 1993 only lasted a year, and the circuit returned to hosting only national competition. In 2006-2007 the circuit was overhauled with new facilities, and the direction of racing was switched to clockwise.

The changes were lauded and MotoGP has returned every year ever since. In 2008, the second corner was tightened slightly, although the option to use the original layout remains.

Aside from the Italo-centric 2000 ETCC, the circuit hosted international-level touring cars for the first time in 2018 when the DTM visited, running under floodlights for the series’ first-ever night race.

DTM returned in 2019, but has not come back since, leaving Misano’s tin-top highlights once again as TCR Italy.