Stefano Domenicali: "Imola could join rotating GPs. And Monza…"

Today at 03:22 AM

F1 looks to the future after an extraordinary 2024 season that featured seven GP winners across 24 races on the calendar. The Concorde Agreement expires at the end of this year, and beyond the expansion of teams with General Motors joining in 2026, one major topic under discussion is the calendar, as the requests from organizers wanting to join far exceed the available slots.

The renewal of Spa-Francorchamps for four Belgian GPs to be held over six years (skipping the 2028 and 2030 editions) brings to the forefront a long-standing, under-the-radar issue: the alternation of certain events, which would allow the inclusion of more circuits in the F1 World Championship.

Italy is in a unique position as it currently has the privilege of hosting two GPs (Monza and Imola), a luxury only the United States surpasses with three. In an interesting exclusive interview with the weekly Autosprint, Stefano Domenicali outlines a clear picture: "The contract with Monza has been renewed with significant commitments regarding infrastructure modernization. What was done at Monza last year was just a necessary first step. The idea that being fortunate enough to be considered a historic venue means you can remain outdated is wrong. Historic value is only meaningful if projected into the future."

"The Monza facility must modernize. And I must say that ACI president Angelo Sticchi Damiani has personally taken on these commitments, and without his dedication, it would have been difficult to finalize certain agreements. Clearly, there was significant governmental and regional economic support. Now we need to understand the situation with Imola."

The F1 president and CEO has a very clear vision of the future. He acknowledges Imola's contribution to the calendar during the peak of the Covid pandemic:
"Imola wants to continue and carry forward a project. The Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit is important and could fit into the rotation logic, though not with Monza. Certainly, if Monza doesn't honor its commitments, Imola would be a strong alternative. Never say never. Before the start of the next season, we'll define the future position."

Stefano Domenicali, in very clear terms, outlines a highly fluid scenario where Imola (whose contract expires this year) could take on a rotating role with other circuits, not just Spa-Francorchamps (but has the 2026 recovery of the race lost to the 2023 flood been shelved?).

The puzzle is not easy to solve, given the desire to bring a race to Africa, a continent currently unrepresented (though this is a medium- to long-term goal). From 2026, Spain aims to include Madrid alongside Barcelona. In short, challenges arise with the candidacies of Thailand, South Korea, Turkey, and Argentina, which has gained attention with Franco Colapinto's debut. The game of balancing priorities won't be easy, and Monza must be careful not to get caught in the shuffle.

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