Imola presents itself as alternative for Monza

Imola is ramping up its bid to keep Italy on the F1 calendar. Amid historic Monza's troubled negotiations with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, the former San Marino GP venue Imola has put its hand up as a potential alternative.

Uberto Selvatico Estense, boss of Formula Imola, travelled to Bahrain last week for talks with Ecclestone but insisted it is not a move to "steal" F1 from Monza. "Ecclestone has given attention to Imola," he is quoted by Il Secolo XIX newspaper, "and in our meeting in Bahrain issued a 'wait and see' in anticipation of answers relevant to the drafting of the 2017 calendar."

"We want to return to this arena (F1)," La Repubblica also quotes Estense as saying, "and we presented to Mr Ecclestone our passion. We have no crystal ball, but I believe that the time is quite tight for any decision affecting our near future," he added. (GMM)