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MONZA, Italy - As the F1 world rejoiced at the historic, high-speed and highly popular Monza circuit, near Milan, the future of the Italian grand prix remained in serious doubt.
Bernie Ecclestone, the sport's chief executive, said recently the current contract was "a disaster for us from a commercial point of view. After 2016, bye-bye".
The comments sparked waves of worry among F1 fans and, in particular, the world-famous, Ferrari-mad, Tifosi.
TALKS HAVE TAKEN PLACE
For Ferrari, too, Monza is important. "Monza is unique," the Maranello brand's president Luca di Montezemolo told Italian-speaking reporters at the track on Saturday (September 7). "The atmosphere here is second to none. I cannot imagine that there could be problems for the future of the race, but I will talk with Ecclestone."
Talks, however, were already taking place over the GP weekend (September 5-7) between Ecclestone and new Monza official Ivan Capelli, an Italian and former F1 driver. Capelli was quoted by Speed Week as saying: "I have already met Ecclestone and in the coming days there will be more meetings.
"I will do everything in my power to retain our GP. We want an extension until 2020, when the current Concorde Agreement expires."
Ecclestone also confirmed that meetings with Monza officials had taken place. "I spoke with them this morning and it is quite simple: all we want is that Monza agrees to the contractual terms of all the other European races. I would just take the contract of any other race and put in the word 'Monza'."
He was confident that deal would be reached. "I hope so," said the F1 supremo. "They seem like competent people."
Bernie Ecclestone, the sport's chief executive, said recently the current contract was "a disaster for us from a commercial point of view. After 2016, bye-bye".
The comments sparked waves of worry among F1 fans and, in particular, the world-famous, Ferrari-mad, Tifosi.
TALKS HAVE TAKEN PLACE
For Ferrari, too, Monza is important. "Monza is unique," the Maranello brand's president Luca di Montezemolo told Italian-speaking reporters at the track on Saturday (September 7). "The atmosphere here is second to none. I cannot imagine that there could be problems for the future of the race, but I will talk with Ecclestone."
Talks, however, were already taking place over the GP weekend (September 5-7) between Ecclestone and new Monza official Ivan Capelli, an Italian and former F1 driver. Capelli was quoted by Speed Week as saying: "I have already met Ecclestone and in the coming days there will be more meetings.
"I will do everything in my power to retain our GP. We want an extension until 2020, when the current Concorde Agreement expires."
Ecclestone also confirmed that meetings with Monza officials had taken place. "I spoke with them this morning and it is quite simple: all we want is that Monza agrees to the contractual terms of all the other European races. I would just take the contract of any other race and put in the word 'Monza'."
He was confident that deal would be reached. "I hope so," said the F1 supremo. "They seem like competent people."
