Angelo Sticchi Damiani, the president of Italy’s automobile club Aci, has some optimistic news for Italian Formula 1 fans. He has told La Gazzetta dello Sport that a potential contract extension could see not just one but both of Italy’s current grands prix on the F1 calendar for “another five years.” That is despite F1 boss Stefano Domenicali recently warned that Monza, the historical heartland of the Italian GP, must upgrade its facilities to meet the evolving standards of the sport.
Sticchi Damiani, though, appears confident. “We already have an agreement, with only the details missing, to sign a new contract which provides for the confirmation of both grands prix, in Monza and Imola, for another five years.” Such a development would secure Italy’s prominent place in the F1 landscape until at least 2030, a tenure that Sticchi Damiani terms “an extraordinary achievement for our country.”
The drive towards this ambitious goal seems to be on the right track at least for Imola, where local authorities and businesses are rallying behind the circuit’s maintenance and adherence to F1 standards. However, the ticking clock of the expiring contract for Monza in 2025 has introduced a sense of urgency. Sticchi Damiani acknowledges the need to act swiftly, especially as the 2025 deadline aligns with key F1 administrative events, including the election of the FIA president and the drafting of the new Concorde Agreement, which governs the terms of participation for the teams.
“It is important to bring forward the timing with respect to the 2025 deadline, which will coincide with the election of the FIA president and the drafting of the new Concorde Agreement between the teams and F1,” he confirmed.
The race to secure Italy’s F1 future is underscored by a stark reminder of the sport’s competitive hosting landscape, with nations like France and Germany currently sidelined. Sticchi Damiani emphasizes the importance of locking in Italy’s spots on the calendar. “At an international level, there is a queue of requests to host a grand prix. Remember, France and Germany don’t have a race at all, so it’s best to secure our races until 2030 as soon as possible,” he said.
And another twist: the price tag for Monza is set to rise, a reflection of the inevitable cost increases associated with hosting such high-caliber events. Sticchi Damiani is candid about this reality, stating, “It is inevitable that there is an increase in costs from 2026, also because Monza currently pays the least of all in Europe.”
The financial implications are significant, and Sticchi Damiani calls for a collective effort, making it clear that the financial burden should not fall solely on Aci, particularly when considering the scale of the agreement in question. “Everyone must do their part,” he said. “We cannot put too much stress on Aci’s accounts, especially if I am going to sign a single contract of this magnitude.”
