Here I’m trying to give an idea of just how far the drop is elevation is as the track follows the natural contours of the hills.

Climbing out of Arrabbiata 2 is another steep hill, forcing cyclists out of the saddle.

Yet another drop at the entrance to Scarperia.

The Scarperia – Palagio duo isn’t just a right left combination, but also a descent and slightly off camber. Notice the skids marks from someone’s recent 4-wheeled adventures.

The Italian colors have been used liberally in the new paint job, not merely on the rumble strips but also as a highlight around certain sections of turns.

You’d think he’d know his way around Mugello by now, but Rossi did two laps on his scooter.

The area between Biondetti and Bucine is one of the few flat sections of track.

Heading into the final turn, the riders have a clear view of the Simoncelli tribuna.

Looking back from the same point, I couldn’t help wishing I could somehow watch the bikes come through this section while standing right here. THAT would be exciting indeed.

Bucine is another deceivingly steep section, dropping dramatically as the track curves to the left and onto the straight.

Just after the track straightens out, there’s yet another rise and fall near the pit lane entrance.

I’ve often commented that the best way to begin designing a successful race track is to start on the side of a hill and go from there. Being in a valley, Mugello does that twice, moving from the side of one hill to the side of another, with many variations and smaller hills in-between.

I still get very nervous thinking about that concrete wall at the fastest section and fear it’s going to take a disaster to force the earth moving equipment out here to make that area safer. Shinya Nakano and Marc Marquez have already crashed there and walked away. I hope there’s no third rider to do crash at this spot.

But as David Emmett pointed out, it’s Mugello, so we don’t think about things like that, distracted as we are by the many things that are beautiful about this circuit. There are certainly many of those.

Photographs: ©2015 by Scott Jones / PHOTO.GP – All Rights Reserved