Just over two months from Italian Grand Prix in Monza, the works are almost complete. After more than five months of work to modernize the historic Brianza circuit, the president ofACI, Angelo Sticchi Damiani, announces that the Monza challenge has been won.
The final details are missing, such as the last layer of asphalt which must be laid 60 days before the start of the Grand Prix, as stated in the FIA regulations. The Italian Grand Prix will start on August 30th, thus respecting the range of time, even if in extremis, indicated by the Federation.
The modernization works, in addition to new paving, involved the curbs, water collection and drainage, the entrance driveway, new underpasses and new pedestrian paths.
There are other interesting news for the future. In this sense, Sportium, a company specialized in the construction of sports facilities, has signed the project for the new grandstand at the finish line, which will be modern, comfortable and with a SkyBox.
Sticchi Damiani's objective is to obtain an agreement for a ten-year contract, similar to that of Silverstone, which he signed last year to guarantee the British Grand Prix until 2034. We remind you that the Monza Grand Prix contract will expire in 2025.
Liberty Media, in addition to the new infrastructure, is demanding an increase in the share of the 50% from the organizers of the Grand Prix: from 20 million euros it would rise to 30 million.
Sticchi Damiani reiterates the enormous cost of holding a Grand Prix, giving the example of the Madrid event, which will host the Spanish Grand Prix from 2026 to 2035 for a figure close to half a billion euros.
There are numerous contenders to take Monza's place, primarily South Korea, Thailand and Turkey. Sticchi Damiani also complains about the delay in politics which does not facilitate negotiations with Liberty Media.
Time flows. If we want to see Formula 1 in Italy for many years to come, all the players involved will have to do their part so as not to make the expensive modernization work carried out on the historic Brianza circuit in vain.