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    •  July 19, 2016

    New Italian GP Agreement Threatens Monza

    July 19, 2016
    Author Signature
    Ryan Ashenhurst
    Contributor
    Ryan Ashenhurst
    Contributor
    Author Signature

    That’s it. It’s done. Another classic circuit might be saying Ciao to the Formula One calendar. A fan favourite, a driver favourite but clearly not a favourite in the business hive-mind of Ecclestone and co. The agreement makes this year’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza possibly the last to be staged at the famous circuit.

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    The new deal does bring another old-school circuit into the fold, with Ecclestone pushing for Imola as an alternative. He’s signed an agreement with Imola representatives, but the situation remains shady with Italy’s Automobile Club d’Italia, who want to keep Monza as the circuit for the Italian GP.

    The president of the Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI) Angelo Sticchi Damiani has previously stated that,

    “Monza because in the Italian financial law it is written that the Grand Prix should be Monza, not Imola.

    I hope to have a solution to the future of Monza next month. It’s a complicated affair, as you know, but we have worked a lot and we trust we are really very close to a solution.”

    – Angelo Sticchi Damiani

    The situation seems to be a political one, as Ecclestone has pushed for the Imola deal despite  ACI’s ambitions. Given that this story has been stalling for months, Ecclestone has made a clear cut decision to fast-forward the bureaucracy that must be present in the decision making process.

    With the situation still in a grey area, it isn’t beyond reason to assume that a deal might be reached between all three parties if the German system is implemented. Alternate between Monza and Imola as Germany alternates between Hockenheim and the Nurburgring. An even better idea would be to scrap the Baku street circuit and bring in Imola as the European Grand Prix.

    Champion of right-angles and run-off area producer Herman Tilke has been involved in the redesign of Imola since 2006, so if the proposed change goes ahead, expect a modern circuit that’s very distinguishable from the previous layout.

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