The Imola circuit has been the host of many great Formula 1 races through the years, but may find itself off the calendar again soon.

The king of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix track was always considered to be Michael Schumacher, who won there on seven occasions.

Having hosted Formula 1 27 times, it makes it even more impressive that the ex-Ferrari star has still won more than 25% of all Grands Prix run there to this day.

In 2004, he had to earn his sixth win after a titanic battle with Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya on the first lap.

An ‘unfair’ penalty cost Montoya a title against Schumacher in 2004, after he was disqualified from multiple events.

The two clashed on track many times, but at Imola in 2004, things came to a boil, leading to some strong words after the race.

Photo credit should read JEAN-LOUP GAUTREAU/AFP via Getty Images

Juan Pablo Montoya once called Michael Schumacher ‘blind’ after intense Imola battle in 2004

Entering the race at Imola, Schumacher had won the first three races of the season and was looking to make a statement with a fourth win in Italy.

On home soil for Ferrari, he shoved Montoya wide on lap one after the Colombian nearly caught him round the outside of turn seven (Tosa).

It prompted a strong response from Montoya after the race, who spared no sympathy for the German’s actions.

“Well, you know Michael had a poor start,” he said, according to The Guardian. “He was slow out of the first chicane, you know, the first turns two and three. I went to pass, he closed the door on me and I had to back off. Then he did the same out of the next corner and closed the door.

“So I went for the inside and I’m coming beside him and the next thing I see he’s just coming straight at me, hit me and put me up the grass. It’s very disappointing to see racing like that.

“I’ll be surprised if he gets away with it but it’s up to the FIA. You’ve got to be either blind or stupid not to see me but, you know, it is racing.”

What did Michael Schumacher do for the rest of the 2004 F1 season?

Montoya would go on to claim just one race victory in 2004 at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo.

For Schumacher, he would notch up 13 victories and claim a seventh and final drivers’ championship with ease.

Had it not been for another clash with Montoya, which happened at the Monaco Grand Prix just two races after Imola, he would have won 13 races in a row. That record would still stand today.

Schumacher called Montoya ‘stupid’ after the Monte Carlo incident and looking back, it denied fans the chance to witness history.

One silly moment in the tunnel stopped Schumacher from winning 13 of the first 13 races in 2004, and who knows? Maybe he would have gone on to win them all otherwise.