by VALERIO BARRETTA
Imola looks to the future in F1
The Grand Prix of Imola is working every day to secure a future in Formula 1. The current contract expires in 2025 and, excluding the possibility of recovering the 2023 edition in 2026, the regional and national leaders are pushing to convince the president of F1 Stefano Sundays to confirm the Santerno stage in the calendar for the near future.
Bonaccini’s words
In the press conference to present the grand prix held today at the Bologna headquarters, the president of the Emilia-Romagna Region Stefano Bonaccini expressed great confidence, almost blind conviction, that Imola will maintain its place in Formula 1 in the years to come: “They told us that it was impossible to bring events such as the Imola GP, Davis Cup in Bologna, Tour de France start from Cesenatico to Emilia Romagna. We are proving many things with facts. Rest assured that the Imola Grand Prix will remain here“, these are the words of Bonaccini.
The words of Sticchi Damiani
President Aci Angelo is more cautious Sticchi Damianiwhich linked the future of Imola to that of other European locations: “There are several agreements to talk about with the Federation. It will depend a lot on what happens in Europe to understand how the European GPs will develop. There is a balance between European and non-European races, but we need to evaluate how much the Old Continent intends to focus on Formula 1. The history and love of the drivers and fans is on Imola’s side, but more is needed. There will be all the necessary commitment on the part of the ACI“.
Domenicali’s requests
In recent months Imola has worked to adapt to the standards of modern F1 imposed several times by Domenicali as criteria for organizing a grand prix. In addition to the track, the circuit that wants to enter Formula 1 must in fact guarantee first-class infrastructure and organisation: “It’s all about understanding the desire to invest in F1 as an entertainment and business platform that can no longer be at a private level“, said the Imola native at the end of 2023.
