The heads of the FIA and F1 have written a letter to the Italian Government seeking clarifications regarding the planned works on the Monza circuit.
A few months ago, the official renewal of the Italian Grand Prix in the Formula 1 calendar was confirmed, at least until 2031, for an amount close to 27 million euros annually. The Monza circuit, a staple in the history of the world’s top motorsport competition, will need significant adjustments (in terms of areas surrounding the track) to meet the current F1 standards.
In this regard, it was recently reported that Domenicali and Ben Sulayem sent a letter to the Italian Government asking for clarifications about the progress and adherence to the promises made a few months ago. This letter is not coincidental, as the “Decreto Emergenze” (Emergency Decree), which aims to remove ACI President Angelo Sticchi Damiani, is currently being approved in Parliament. The new bill also intends to extend term limits to public entities that are sports federations; ACI, in fact, represents the Italian ASN at the FIA.
On February 12, the ACI assembly will have to call new elections, and after that, there will only be 45 days to submit nominations for the role of president. This is far from an ideal situation, and it has rightfully alarmed F1, FIA, and Liberty Media representatives.
The concern of the F1 leadership is that a change in presidency could cause delays and setbacks in the process of renewing the Monza circuit, a legend in international motorsport. In recent weeks, Domenicali had also raised this issue with statements such as: “I need guarantees that the works on Monza can be completed on time, respecting the clauses of the contract.”
Therefore, it is no coincidence that, in addition to Stefano Domenicali, Ben Sulayem has also taken action, and now both are awaiting important responses from the Italian Government. It’s worth noting that the contract extension between F1 and the Monza circuit was signed on November 27 of last year, one month after the confirmation of Sticchi Damiani’s presidency at ACI. Formula 1 is now waiting for concrete actions from the Meloni government.
Photo: Scuderia Ferrari Gallery
