MONZA ON BRINK
Historic Italian circuit could be cut from F1 calendar
ONE of the Ferrari-red banners in the grandstand next to the start-finish straight at Monza reads: ‘You cannot describe the passion. You can only live it.’ ‘Go Michael,’ says another — the biggest of the lot — in homage to the stricken great, Schumacher. ‘Go Kimi,’ is written just behind it, in the white and blue of Raikkonen’s national flag, of Finland.
Just down along the road is one of motor racing’s awesome sights, the steeply banked Parabolica curve that leads into the straight.
Rewind to Thursday when, ahead of tomorrow’s Italian Grand Prix, a dozen marshals in orange overalls pushed against barriers on the pit straight to prevent Ferrari-mad fans who were surging for the autograph of their driver heroes, Sebastian Vettel and Raikkonen, knocking down the cordon.
Why, especially, these vignettes from Monza? It is because the ‘temple of speed’ may be erased from Formula One for all time, and there must be stamping of feet before that is allowed to happen.
For next year’s race at Monza is the last one scheduled. If no deal can be done, this will be the end of the place’s association with grand prix racing that dates back to 1922. Every year since the World Championship began, other than for 1980 when the Italian Grand Prix was held at Imola, Monza has staged a round.
Bernie Ecclestone will meet Italian officials over the weekend. He says he is not hopeful of a successful resolution after more than two years of negotiations. ‘It’s up to them to make their minds up,’ was his take-it-or-leave-it verdict. ‘We have something to sell and it is up to them whether they want to pay the price.’
The Italians have made the figures known so the public here can get on Ecclestone’s case: he is demanding £20million a year, they are willing to pay £12m for the privilege of hosting a race.
Monza is a private circuit and there is no government money available; there are just stern words from the prime minister, Matteo Renzi. ‘Leave Monza alone,’ he said. ‘That’s what we’re going to tell Ecclestone. Formula One doesn’t rely solely on money. It’s also about history.’
It may be that both sides are striking hardline attitudes as bargaining positions and that the race in the treestrewn royal park will be preserved. However, France — the cradle of grand prix racing — has gone from the calendar and Germany was omitted this year. There are no guarantees that Monza will not be gobbled up by the rush to new venues in the Middle East, Russia and, from next year, Azerbaijan. ‘ The Grand Prix of Italy is Monza,’ said Ferrari principal Maurizio Arrivabene. ‘There is a core: Monza, Spa-Francorchamps, Hockenheim, Silverstone and Monaco. If we lose the core, we lose the show.’
Yesterday’s practice sessions told us that Mercedes are totally dominant here, with Lewis Hamilton leading his teammate Nico Rosberg in both sessions. The force is with Hamilton and one wonders if Rosberg, a new father to an as yet unnamed baby girl, truly believes that he can beat Hamilton. It feels as if freak results are all that can possibly help the German turn around his 28-point deficit.
The day did not entail any tyres blowing. Calm descended on that front after the rows of Spa a fortnight ago.
Jenson Button had a miserable day, doing only three laps in his McLaren in the afternoon session. His future employment is uncertain, with Kevin Magnussen a possible replacement. But Button happily joined the support for Monza.
‘I love it here,’ he said. ‘It’s out on its own in terms of craziness. Last year I did 220mph in a race with Checo (Sergio Perez), wheel to wheel. It’s madness.
‘They just love Formula One here. It is great seeing full stands, a sea of red. There are a few circuits that should never be off the calendar, and this is one of them.’
The views are shared by Sir Jackie Stewart, who before qualifying today will drive the BRM in which he won his first grand prix here 50 years ago, around the track. You cannot invent heritage like that.