Imola, 10 May 2024 – It’s the theme of the renewal of the contract with Formula 1, expiring in 2025, to take center stage on the day of the presentation of the Grand Prix on 17-19 May.
“The situation is obviously complex – admits the president of the Aci, Angelo Sticchi Damiani, which in addition to that for Imola must also carry forward the negotiations for Monza –. There would be hope, on which we would like to work, to recover 2023 (race missed due to the flood, ed.) in 2026. It would be another small step forward. And then everything depends on what happens in Europe in the next two-three years.”
They are needed 30 million per Grand Prix, against the current 25. Again as regards Imola, this is a figure that is largely covered by Ice – Institute for Foreign Trade (Government), Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the Emilia-Romagna Region. They put in five million each, which are added to the two million allocated by Con.Ami. The rest is borne by Aci, which manages the sale of tickets (11 million collected in 2022) and, in the face of heavy organizational expenses, manages to essentially close the event at breakeven (52 thousand euros of losses in the last edition played) while guaranteeing enormous repercussions for the territory.
Until a few months ago, we were working on a single Imola-Monza agreement (both expiring after next year’s checkered flag) until 2030 on the basis of a total of 300 million. But the Brianza circuit seems to have accelerated; and the Enzo and Dino Ferrari fears remaining in the pits like in 2006.
“It’s clear that when we talk about taking Grands Prix away from Europe we think of those who have two, this seems clear to me – admits Sticchi Damiani -. We must resist.”
President of the Region, Stefano Bonaccini, running for a seat in the European Parliament, however, does not seem to have any doubts: “When we brought Imola back to F1, they told us it was impossible. After 110 years of history, we brought the first stages of the Tour de France to the start and they told us to Don’t even try. The Davis Cup came, and they told us it was impossible because they were taking it away. Rest assured that the Grand Prix will remain in Imola.”
Mayor Marco Panieri ensures maximum commitment: “The future perspective is to continue investing, because we want to continue to stay on the calendar. The Autodrome is ready and is doing its part.”
According to the now well-known study by the Faenza company Jfc, in 2022 the GP created a turnover of 274 million and 167 thousand euros. There were 60 TVs connected for a total of over 82 million viewers.
“We want link this event to the promotion of Made in Italy, through what we call growth diplomacy and sport diplomacy – concludes Matteo Zoppas, president of Ice -. F1 and the Imola GP are the context in which the recovery of a hundredth of a second is worth significant investments in research and development. And this characterizes the qualifying approach of Made in Italy and the strategic role of technology for the automotive sector and beyond”.
