As we approach the Imola GP, there is a lesser-known fact around this GP and that is Formulino. If you are not aware of that name, Formulino is the cat king of Imola who won hearts ever since he came to greet Lewis Hamilton and the rest of the teams at the paddocks. Soon becoming a celebrity figure around the circuit, Formulino became the mascot of the track.

While Lewis Hamilton had some good luck rubbed off on him, Sebastian Vettel revealed that he was not fond of cats. Shocking right? But not as shocking as the devastating news that resurfaced as fans headed back to Imola. If you just got to know about Formulino and are looking forward to seeing the furball around the paddocks, we hate to be the bearers of bad news.

RIP Formulino: The Imola GP mascot

After Autosport published an article about Formulino, he quickly became famous and had his own Instagram page. But then on August 15, 2023, he was said to have left for the heavens, leaving thousands of fans devastated. Now that we are days away from the Imola GP, we wanted to take a moment and remember the mascot that brought smiles to everyone in the paddocks until last year.

Sadly, Formulino is dead.
byu/XAX-O-XAX informula1

Formulino worked as a good luck charm for Lewis Hamilton as he states that the encounter with the cat helped him win his first Imola Grand Prix. There is also an infamous interview with Sebastian Vettel where he confesses that he does not like cats. That statement must have made Imola cat angry, as Vettel did not end up doing that well that weekend.

He is the king of the Imola circuit and he has touched many lives. Although many fans have never gotten a chance to meet him, knowing that he was there in Imola attending the F1 event made everyone happy to see him on Instagram. On his Instagram profile, we can see many happy moments that he spent around the Imola circuit.

Remembering Formulino The Imola cat

While it’s obvious that Formulino did not create the account, the bio was on point. Stating, “My name is Formulino and I’m the owner of @autodromoimola,” shows the place the cat had in the heart of the people who have been to the Imola circuit.

Formulino believed he owned the place as all he needed to do to get a paddock pass was show up at the gate and be granted one. He also gets all-access VIP passes, and he has been spotted at the Ferrari Exhibition as posted on his Instagram.

When Max Verstappen became the world champion for the first time, Formulino sent his regards by standing at the top of the podium posing with a picture of Verstappen. It’s heartbreaking to know that he is gone, and we hope that he is now spending time with the two legends that we lost at Imola 30 years ago, Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger.

Did you know about the Imola Cat before this? If not, now you know about an F1 legend that will never be forgotten. Drop some love for Formulino in the comments section.