After the construction of 2 more F1 circuits in South Korea and India and the announcement for the re-establishment of the United States Grand Prix in a brand new F1 specification circuit in Austin, it has been confirmed that Rome will also host an F1 race in the streets of the historical Italian capital.The race will feature on the calendar as early as 2012 after F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and organiser Maurizio Flammini stamped the agreement on a 5 year basis.
Rome mayor Gianni Alemanno commented:
"Congratulations for the results he (Flammini) has delivered. I hope Rome's grand prix can start in 2012."
The agreement means that there will be two grands prix in Italy, with the historic Monza venue certain to remain on the calendar. Yet, although the enthusiasm in the Rome Monza director Enrico Ferrari expressed his concerns about Monza's status affected by a Rome grand prix. Ferrari told La Stampa newspaper.
"Where once it was difficult to find sponsors, now it will be impossible. The big companies have a budget, so if today they were giving us 100, tomorrow they will give us 50 and Rome 50."
The only possible obstacle for the race going ahead is in getting consent from the region's local EUR district although expectations for a circuit around Colosseum couldn't be realised due to the narrowness of the nearby strets. EUR short for Esposizione Universale di Roma, was intended to showcase Rome in the World Exhibition of 1942, coinciding with the 20th year of the regime of dictator Mussolini.
Alemanno confirmed:
"There are problems because we have to reach full agreement with the inhabitants of EUR. We have an agreement at the international level. There are no certainties, but our promise is very solid."
