Flat and fairly featureless, the track nevertheless comes alive each year for the visit of the MotoGP World Championships, when the crowds fill the grandstands in huge numbers, in recent years drawn by home hero Valentino Rossi, for whom Misano is the home circuit.

While bike racing has been king for a number of years, the track still attracts top caliber competition on four wheels, particularly since its most recent modernisations. The DTM and GT World Challenge Europe have both been visitors, with the European Truck Racing Championship has been another popular visitor.

The track is officially known as Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in honour of the late rider who was born in Cattolica, while before 2006 it was called the Circuito Internazionale Santa Monica.