F1: Monaco GP promoter Boeri to be pushed out
(GMM) Michel Boeri looks set to be pushed aside as Monaco looks to secure its future on the Formula 1 grid.
Days ago, Boeri – who has been president of the Automobile Club de Monaco since 1972 – warned that the fabled street race could be “dead” by the end of 2025 as F1’s owners Liberty Media negotiate with more lucrative markets.
“What counts for the Americans is the offer alone,” he told the French sports daily L’Equipe.
It appears that Monaco’s Prince Albert II is now stepping in with damage control.
“Stefano Domenicali and Greg Maffei told me how they see the future of Formula 1,” the Prince said. “They want to make racing more dynamic and attractive, but made it clear that a season without Monaco is impossible.
“You can’t just treat Monaco like other circuits. Of course, there are difficult moments in the negotiations when the parties are engaged in a tug-of-war, and this needs to be changed.
“There are agreements that we cannot cancel, we have a limited space for the race, but I am convinced that the parties will come to a compromise,” Prince Albert II added.
In Monte Carlo last week for the grand prix, F1’s major players also expressed concern about the future of the Monaco GP – particularly the almost impossibility of overtaking with today’s bigger and heavier cars.
“I think, not for the immediacy, but I think for the long-term viability of this venue, everything has to keep evolving,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner.
“You know, nothing stands still forever. It’d be great to look at whether it’s possible to introduce some genuine overtaking opportunities around the circuit or to adapt the circuit over a period of time.”
Some organizational changes for the Monaco GP have already been implemented, relating to sponsorship and the way the race is broadcast.
“In 2025, we will reassess the situation again, mainly discussing sponsorship, TV production and merchandising,” Prince Albert II said.
“Both parties are interested in this. A new era begins in the history of the Monaco GP. (Bernie) Ecclestone’s time is in the past. We must move on and look to the future.
“I don’t blame Michel Boeri for the fact that he found it difficult to adapt to the new situation, but it may be better now if someone else negotiates on behalf of the ACM.”
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Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali has abandoned his hopes of remodeling Monaco’s famous street circuit after plans to do so were strongly rejected by the organizers.
The thorny subject of a lack of overtaking revealed itself again on Sunday, when only rain saved a processional race from the constraints of the principality’s tight streets.
There have been many calls for the circuit to be extended to include a significant braking zone.
But those plans are dead in the water, despite former F1 executive Ross Brawn having drawn up proposals to affect change. His initiatives were knocked back by the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM), who run the event.
An F1 spokesman said: ‘It’s been something we have tried to change in the past and have pushed for that, but unfortunately the situation there and the limitations are very restrictive.’
Passes vs 2022
Monaco was the only track that offered significantly more overtakes than the previous years, thanks to rain!
It was hard to do less than 13 though
