Modena's motorsport tradition stretches back to the early twentieth century. The original Aerautodromo di Modena opened on 7 May 1950 on the edge of the city, built across land that also served as an airfield — an arrangement that gave the circuit its distinctive character, with a 1,600-metre airstrip crossing the racing layout diagonally. The venue hosted nine editions of the Modena Grand Prix for Formula One and Formula Two machinery between 1950 and 1961, with victories going to Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, and others. Ferrari and Maserati also used the track for development testing on weekday mornings and afternoons during the 1960s and 1970s.
In the early 1970s Enzo Ferrari, supported by Maserati and Automobili Stanguellini, pressed the Modena Town Council and the ACI for upgrades. When negotiations stalled, Ferrari instead bought land adjacent to his factory and built the Fiorano Circuit in 1972, effectively ending the Aerautodromo's role in high-level testing. The ACI then invested in the nearby Imola circuit. The Aerautodromo was closed and demolished, and the site was redeveloped in 1991 as a public park honouring Enzo Ferrari.
Efforts to give Modena a new permanent racing facility began soon after the old circuit's closure. By the early 2000s a formal construction project was launched near Marzaglia, beside the Modena-Marzaglia airport. Plans published in December 2007 described a track of roughly 1,600 metres with ample pit spaces, targeting a 2011 inauguration. During development the layout was extended to approximately 2,007 metres, a change that created tension between the Regional Environmental Protection Agency and Modena's urban planners. The dispute was resolved and the circuit was cleared for completion, opening in 2011 with FMI and ACI homologation.
In 2022 the municipality of Modena approved a further expansion: the addition of a one-kilometre straight that will extend the total circuit length to 4.150 km (2.579 miles) when complete.
The circuit measures 2.068 km and incorporates eleven corners. The main straight runs approximately 400 metres and houses the start-finish line. Elevation changes are present throughout the lap, and the combination of tight-angle corners arriving in quick succession — sometimes three in a row in alternating directions — creates a demanding test of car balance and driver technique. The track surface is smooth asphalt.
A configurable variant exists within the existing layout: by bypassing Turn 5 and linking Turn 4 directly to Turn 6, the circuit can effectively be split into two independent straight sections, providing flexibility for manufacturer test sessions. A tighter-radius variation was introduced at the final corner in 2014, which altered the flow into the start-finish straight.
The fastest recorded lap under competition conditions is 1:09.700, set in a Ferrari 458 Challenge on racing slick tyres.
The Autodromo di Modena is used for a broad range of activities. Its location in Italy's Motor Valley — within proximity of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, and Pagani facilities — generates constant manufacturer testing activity alongside customer track days and high-performance driving experiences. The circuit also hosts historic rallies and safe driving courses. Its compact size and lack of large spectator infrastructure reflect its primary role as a development and experience venue rather than a championship race circuit.
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