The Imola management has signed an agreement with Bernie Ecclestone to run the Italian GP from 2017, but the plans can only go ahead if the country's national sporting authority gives its approval.
Apparently it's all up to Angelo Sticchi Damiani, President of the Automobile Club of Italy.
Monza is in a real mess, too many people can decide on the future of the autodrome, and they are full of debt. Imola needs a lot of investments to be f1 ready, nothing has been changed for many years, but the circuit is financially strong and politically solid. However it would be a big jump from superbike to f1, and I don't know if they can afford to make all the work the circuit need. I would prefer always imola layout, one of the greatest track. But i think there are few chances to see it in 2017 calendar. Local governor of Monza are very "patriotic", they will hardly let f1 leave
stuff like this is a joke, All Bernie is doing, is bring monza up to par with what other tracks with newly signed contracts are paying. However, some people seem to think Monza is special, and deserves special allowances.
Imola is ready from the standpoint of the teams facilities and corporate side of things, the pit complex is now long enough to place F1, GP2/GP3 teams in the same pit lane. However, id say it needs another €5m or so for trackside from what I've seen on recent TV showings of Imola on WSBK and other motorsports I've seen.
As for Monza, I am a Monza loyal fan, but i do however think it needs to take at least a year, if not two or three off the F1 calendar. How do i hear you say, the reasons ill list in bullet points;
* The first thing that needs looked at from a fan perspective is Toilet facilities, they are dilapidated at Monza, they need to get more proper toilets in place, i would put at least 30 decent toilets around the track with at least 30-50 cubicles and a decent urinal line for men. All toilets would use the same design.
* Second thing id be doing from a fans perspective is the same as what happened in the recent Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon, WiFi in all the stands. If it was free, all the better, but id even pay an extra €10 for a weekend pass for F1 with a password embedded onto my ticket for good WiFi
* Third thing, the fan zone needs to be enlarged, this needs to be much larger, and also much more fan focused. All teams need to be represented, with each team presenting at least one static display car from a previous season as well.
* Forth thing for the fans, especially in the Main Grandstand 1, 4, 26A/B/C is id knock those suckers down, get in Myley and her Wrecking Ball and have a much larger single grandstand, like China, or even Austin with at least 20,000 fans in there, also have new state of the art commentary boxes in the thing.
* The last thing id do for fans is have much better laid out areas where you get food, the burger vans are good at the moment and they way they are done, but having the place better laid out with more paved or even tarmac areas for them as some put out lots of tables and such.
* For the teams and the Paddock Club duffers, id knock the pit building down, erect a new pit lane and have a new building and have a better paddock club, maybe try and copy the Abu Dhabi pit building where there are massive boxes and seats for the high ballers above the pit lane. Id leave well alone the podium area, its the best part of Monza.
* Track wise, id put those same kerbs that the Red Bull Ring have at the exit of Della Roggia (Turn 5), Both Lesmos (Turns 6 & 7), the Exit of Ascari (Turn 10) and the exit of Parabolica (Turn 11) with the same corners having the yellow sausage kerbs 1.5m off the track in order to try and stop the drivers going too agricultural off the track.
Id say Monza needs at least €500m spent on it, however, if it was to ditch the grandstands/pit building areas and focus on the rest, id say €50-60m would easily cover it and make it better.
If Monza looses the contract, i will go to Imola, in fact, i need to go to Imola, i need to do a Pilgrimage once, a pilgrimage to Tamburello, to the Senna shrine. All i need to do is see the Grandstand Map at Imola to see if theres as good grandstand as 6A at Monza. Cant beat a f1 car flying past you tickling 355kph in Qualifying.
In the ongoing drama Imola has now initiated some kind of legal proceeding, "as it feels it not correct that the ACI did not want to approve its bid nor make funds available that are there for Monza. It claims with its contract accepted by Ecclestone, and Monza not having a deal in place, that it is wrong for the ACI not to help Imola."
ChrisDanger wrote:In the ongoing drama Imola has now initiated some kind of legal proceeding, "as it feels it not correct that the ACI did not want to approve its bid nor make funds available that are there for Monza. It claims with its contract accepted by Ecclestone, and Monza not having a deal in place, that it is wrong for the ACI not to help Imola."
