One of the leading figureheads in Italian motorsport has said that he is hopeful of striking a deal to keep two Formula 1 races in the country on the calendar.
As it stands, both Monza and Imola have a place on the Formula 1 calendar, with the contracts of both set to expire in 2025.
Angelo Sticchi Damiani, president of the FIA-regulated ACI Sport – Italy’s automobile club – told Sky Italia that he hopes both of the current rounds in Monza and Imola will stay on the calendar, but the priority is extending the current Monza deal.
“We will surely still have Imola and Monza together on the calendar because there is still a year of contract for Imola,” he said.
“Then there was talk during the flood and a little later about catching up with the 2023 edition in 2026. This is the first goal.
“Once the contract for Monza is defined and closed, we will focus and get to work body and soul for Imola.
“Having two Grands Prix in Italy is a dream. We know it’s a dream and we want it to continue, but it always remains a dream.”
Sticchi Damiani has also confirmed that work is underway to improve the current facilities at Monza which he hopes will bolster the circuit’s chances of securing a long-term deal to keep it on the calendar for the foreseeable future.
“The improvements were made on the runway and under the track,” he said.
“We went all the way to the foundation to the top layer. So we have a perfect track from the point of view of the surface and above all robust, able to last many, many years and not have any kind of problem.
“And we have expanded, arranged and completely divided the flow of pedestrians from that of the vehicles, be it these cars, vans etc…they will have a lot of space available, so we have also increased security.
“As far as the renewal of the contract is concerned, we will have to try to conclude quickly. What we need is to report, to discount those costs to date. But we will succeed with the resources we have at our disposal to make the works that were planned in 2019 and that of transforming the current press room into an additional space for Formula 1, that of the Paddock Club.
“This means greatly enriching the offer to Formula 1 in hope, indeed, in the belief that all this will be taken into account in setting the agreement for the next 5-10 years.”
With the exception of 1980, when undergoing refurbishment, Monza has featured on every single calendar in F1’s 74-year history.
Built in 1922, the circuit is reputed to be the third-oldest purpose-built track in the world after Brooklands and Indianapolis.
The circuit, whilst geographically further from Maranello than Imola, is synonymous with the Tifosi who flock to support Ferrari at what is officially its home Grand Prix.
The Imola circuit made its official F1 debut as Monza’s temporary replacement in 1980, having held non-championship races since 1963.
It was implemented onto the calendar the following year as the San Marino Grand Prix, and remained so until 2006.
The circuit notoriously claimed the lives of both Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna in the same race weekend in 1994, which instigated the addition of two chicanes at the fast corners where both men crashed.
After regaining the sufficient FIA grading to host Formula 1 races again, the circuit was re-introduced in the 2020 calendar affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, rebranded as the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, and has hosted races in the following years, excluding 2023, when the race was cancelled due to flooding in the local area.
Discussion about this post