Italian GP cancellation rumours labelled 'fake news'

Recent rumours of September's Italian Grand Prix being cancelled for 2020 has been labelled as 'fake news' by Automobile Club d’Italia president Angelo Sticchi Damiani.

Recent reports in German media have suggested that the race at Monza would not be going ahead due to the global coronavirus pandemic and the disastrous effect it had on the country.

However, Damiani has said that no decision has been taken to cancel the race and that promoters are confident that the race can go ahead this season, even with no fans in attendance.

“We are convinced that Monza will be there, although almost certainly behind closed doors,” Damiani told Italy's Sky Sport 24.

“We don’t understand why fake news about a cancellation of the Italian GP from the 2020 calendar has come out. We don’t have the crystal ball to know what will happen in early September.

“We hope the emergency is over, we are hoping for a miracle, but today we are gearing up for a closed-door GP.”

Impossible to hold a race on reversed Monza layout

With recent rumours suggesting circuits such as Silverstone could be looking at holding extra rounds on reversed layouts of their circuits, Damiani insisted that this would not be possible at Monza.

Damiani explained that, due to the nature of the circuit and the speeds the drivers reach, it could be simply too dangerous to run a race in the opposite direction and that safety implications such as barriers and gravel traps are only designed to effectively work in one direction.

Damiani also noted that there would not be enough time to make the necessary changes to the circuit to run a reversed layout race, should the event go on in September as planned.

“No, the circuits have one way to go,” Damiani commented.

“With all the barriers, the kerbs and the structure of the entire circuit, it is made to be run one way. That’s why you can’t think of doing hard, expensive work with [new] spaces and escape routes for the other direction.”