09 January 2024 , 17:07
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Modernisation work has finally begun at Monza after Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali failed to guarantee the venue's future in the sport.
Up there with the likes of Silverstone and Monaco, Monza is a fans' favourite and an integral part of the annual F1 calendar. But, despite having history in its favour, the track's future in the sport has been questioned in recent months.
F1 has reached its current limit of 24 races per season, and yet new venues are being considered. With other global markets being priorities, it could place European circuits at risk of losing their annual spots on the schedule.
And Monza, on the outskirts of Milan, looks to be one of those in the most danger. It has a contract that runs until 2025, but there is already another race in Italy at Imola, near Bologna, creating a situation of two annual Italian races which may not continue in the long term.
No decision has yet been made on that subject. But one thing very much working against Monza at the moment is the state of the facilities at the track, which are in desperate need of modernisation - as pointed out by Domenicali last month as he spoke about the venue's future in F1.
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"We are indeed negotiating with Monza and Imola about a possible contract extension," he told Italian media outlet Rai. "I am in good contact with the motorsport federation in Italy, but the work at Monza was supposed to start after the Grand Prix and still hasn't started in December. It should now start in the near future.
"My pressure is constructive, but internal bureaucracies should not be able to stop certain projects. We have to move with the times. In 2020 Imola was given an extraordinary opportunity and they were ready for it. This year, unfortunately, we couldn't race there because of the floods."
In a separate media session earlier in the year, he had said: "The history of Monza is beyond question, but we also need to keep up with the times in terms of services, which must be in line with the prices paid by those who come to the racetrack. Within the next year, we will have clear ideas about the future."
Perhaps aided by that pressure from the F1 chief, work has now finally begun at the circuit. Motorsport.com reports there is a 140-day redevelopment plan in place which is now in full swing, as work began on Monday.
The track itself will be completely resurfaced while the facilities in the pit buildings will also modernised. Crucially, grandstand improvements will be made while a new underpass under the track will be added to the existing three, which will themselves be widened, to speed up how fans move around the venue in a bid to improve their experience.