Mayor wants Imola and Monza to share F1 race

Imola and Monza may be able to peacefully co-exist in F1. That is the claim of Daniele Manca, mayor of the town of Imola, whose local circuit hosted many San Marino grands prix until 2006. Bernie Ecclestone has been in troubled negotiations with Monza over a new contract beyond 2016, with Imola near Bologna emerging as a potential replacement. "It's better to be at Monza, I suppose," F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said at Baku, "or maybe nowhere. Let's wait and see."

Imola's circuit chief said last week that Imola is ready to simply take over from Monza from 2017, but mayor Manca has indicated that co-existence may be possible. "I had proposed a system of alliances that takes into account the two motor racing circuits," he is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport. "That of Monza, whose history I want to respect, and that of Imola, with its 26 F1 GPs," said Manca.

But he said he cannot accept that the Automobile club of Italy, the Aci, "wants to only give" millions in funding to Monza, "not to us". "Our proposal was not of opening a competition with Monza, as we can also do an alternation," Manca added. (GMM)