It appears that Monza, home of the Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix of Italy for the last 65 years, has been saved. A political outcome seems to have been brokered after much posturing and pontificating that gravitated right up to the cabinet level.
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has agreed with Italian Minister of Tourism Michela Vittoria Brambilla—who also has responsibility for the Automobile Club of Italy, organizers of the event—that if a Grand Prix does take place in Rome it will be a non-championship race. Ecclestone has also confirmed to the president of the ACI that the Italian round in the Formula One World Championship will remain at Monza.
“My voice is the official one,” says Brambilla. “I speak as the Minister of Tourism, but also the overseeing authority of the Automobile Club of Italy. The Italian Grand Prix has been held at Monza for 65 years, and it will stay there. Any other motor sport events that can be organized in Italy will be good opportunities for the areas that host them, but will not be part of the World Championship.”
All this represents a bit of a step backward for Mr. Ecclestone, who had previously announced that the 2013 World Championship would comprise 20 races and would include a Grand Prix of Rome.
Consequently, the Autodromo di Monza that has seen victories by the legendary Pietro Bordino (1922), Robert Benoist (1927), Achille Varzi (1930), Bernd Rosemeyer (1936), Tazio Nuvolari (1938), Jean-Pierre Wimille ( (1948), Alberto Ascari (1951), Phil Hill (1961), Emerson Fittipaldi (1972), Nelson Piquet (1983), Ayrton Senna (1992) and Rubens Barrichello (2009) will continue as one of the most revered circuits in the history of motor racing.
