Imola

Formula 1 News: Imola must pay more or lose its F1 race

(GMM) Italy will try to “resist” Formula 1’s gradual shift away from Europe, as Imola seeks a new race deal with the sport’s owner Liberty Media. Imola and Monaco both pay the lowest hosting fee and will be axed unless they paying the going rate (see table below).

Max Verstappen Takes Sprint Win at Imola in 2022
Max Verstappen Takes Sprint Win at Imola in 2022

During an investors call this week, Liberty CEO Greg Maffei admitted capping the calendar at 24 grands prix for now has created a “great incentive scarcity” amid plenty of extra interest from potential new race hosts.

“We’ve been able to find attractive pricing and good uplifts,” he said. “So, so far so good on promotion.”

Imola returned to the F1 calendar during the covid era, with the circuit – set to host next weekend’s round of the world championship – now having a contract only through 2025.

“There are obviously some discussions to be done with Formula 1,” Angelo Sticchi Damiani, boss of the Italian automobile club Aci, told local media.

“The situation is obviously complex, but the first small step forward would be recovering the 2023 race for 2026,” he said, referring to the fact that last year’s race at Imola had to be cancelled due to flooding.

“Then everything depends a lot on what will happen in Europe in the next two-three years,” Sticchi Damiani added. “There are changes underway, new candidates, some are at risk.

“The picture is not just national, it is international and especially European. It’s clear that when they talk about taking away grands prix from Europe, we naturally think of countries that have two of them.”

Indeed, F1 currently races twice in Italy each year – including at Monza. But Sticchi Damiani says Imola is determined to “resist” being scratched.

“Stefano Domenicali knows how available we were in the covid tsunami,” he said, “helping to guarantee awarding full points in F1. In times of need, we were there.

“On the other hand we must try to be competitive both in terms of our offer and our hospitality.”

Stefano Bonaccini, president of the local Emilia-Romagna region, added: “They told us bringing F1 back was impossible. They told us the Tour de France was impossible. They told us the Davis Cup was impossible.

“Rest assured that the grand prix will remain in Imola,” he said.

Current F1 Event Statistics – Imola only pays $20M per year

Rnd 2024 Date Event Circuit Location Hosting Fee ($) Contract Good Thru 2023 3-Day Attendance Length (km) Length (Miles) Turns Laps
1 March 2 Bahrain Grand Prix Bahrain International Circuit Sakhir 45 million 2036 99,500 5.412 3.363 15 57
2 March 9 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Jeddah Street Circuit Jeddah 55 million 2030 150,000 6.175 3.837 27 50
3 March 24 Australian Grand Prix Albert Park Circuit Melbourne 40 million 2035 444,631 5.279 3.280 16 58
4 April 7 Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka International Racing Course Suzuka 50 million 2029 222,000 5.807 3.608 18 53
5 April 21 Chinese GP Shanghai Intl Circuit Shanghai 50 million 2025 No Race 5.451 3.387 16 56
6 May 7 Miami Grand Prix Miami International Autodrome Miami Collaboration
Assume $45M
2031 270,491 5.410 3.362 19 57
7 May 19 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Imola Imola 20 million 2025 No Race 4.909 3.050 21 66
8 May 26 Monaco Grand Prix Circuit de Monaco Monte Carlo 20 million 2025 200,000 3.340 2.075 19 78
9 June 9 Canadian Grand Prix Circuit Gilles Villeneuve 14 turns Montreal 30 million 2031 345,000 4.361 2.710 14 70
10 June23 Spanish Grand Prix Circuit de Barcelona Montmeló 25 million 2026 284,066 4.655 2.892 16 66
11 June 30 Austrian Grand Prix Red Bull Ring Spielberg 25 million 2030 304,000 4.326 2.688 10 71
12 July 7 British Grand Prix Silverstone Circuit Silverstone 40 million 2034 480,000 5.891 3.660 18 52
13 July 21 Hungarian Grand Prix Hungaroring Mogyoród 40 million 2032 303,000 4.381 2.722 14 70
14 July 28 Belgian Grand Prix Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps Stavelot 25 million 2025 380,000 7.004 4.352 19 44
15 August 25 Dutch Grand Prix Circuit Zandvoort Zandvoort 32 million 2025 305,000 4.459 2.771 14 72
16 September 1 Italian Grand Prix Autodromo Nazionale di Monza Monza 25 million 2025 304,135 5.793 3.600 17 53
17 September 15 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Baku City Circuit Baku 55 million 2026 95,000 6.003 3.730 20 51
18 September 22 Singapore Grand Prix Marina Bay Street Circuit Singapore 35 million 2028 264,108 5.063 3.146 23 61
19 October 20 United States Grand Prix Circuit of the Americas Austin 25 million 2026 432,000 5.513 3.426 20 56
20 October 27 Mexico City Grand Prix Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez Mexico City 25 million 2025 400,639 4.304 2.674 17 71
21 November 3 Sao Paulo Grand Prix Autódromo José Carlos Pace São Paulo 30 million 2030 267,000 4.309 2.677 15 71
22 November 23 Las Vegas Grand Prix Las Vegas Street Circuit Las Vegas Owned by F1
Assume $45M
2033 315,000 6.120 3.803 17 50
23 December 1 Qatar Grand Prix Losail International Circuit Losail 55 million 2032 120,000 5.380 3.343 16 57
24 December 8 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi 40 million 2030 165,000 5.554 3.451 21 55
   w/o Madrid  $877 million  6,150,570 Averages  3.234 mi.  18  60
25 TBD Spanish GP IFEMA Madrid Circuit Madrid 65 million 2035 330,000 5.474 3.401 20 56
   w/Madrid  $942 million 6,480,570 Averages  3.240 mi.  18  60