Imola is focused on the present but concerned about the future. For the presentation of the AWS Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix 2025, scheduled for next Wednesday at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit, absolutely everyone will be present to launch what, on paper, could be F1’s final appearance on the banks of the Santerno. Expected to attend are the government via the Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi; the Extraordinary Commissioner of the Automobile Club of Italy, Tullio Del Sette; the Deputy Commissioner of ACI, Giovanni Battista Tombolato; the President of the Emilia-Romagna Region, Michele de Pascale; the Mayor of Imola, Marco Panieri; and, via video link, the President and CEO of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicali.
In recent days, the head of FOM issued a strong and clear warning that so far has gone unanswered: “Italy has always represented, and will continue to represent, an important part of F1. It will become increasingly difficult to have two Grands Prix in the same country because interest in GPs is growing, and it’s a situation we will have to address in the coming months, as it’s unlikely to last much longer. On a personal level it won’t be easy, but I must fulfil an international role, which brings me face to face with countless requests from emerging countries around the world that can help F1 grow. It’s a decision I will soon have to make definitively.”
Time is running out, but there is still a sense that a door remains open for Imola to stay on the future F1 calendar, possibly not every year, by entering a rotation system with other circuits. The venue, managed by Formula Imola, is carrying out all the required updates to meet the demands of the premier motorsport series.
Stefano Domenicali, born in Imola and now based in Monza, emphasised: “I haven’t forgotten that Imola stepped in during a time of great difficulty, during COVID. When there was a need to find new venues, they responded immediately with the enthusiasm and capability of an entire city.”
So, gratitude isn’t lacking—but to secure F1’s confirmation, the necessary budget must be found to cover both the costs of organising the race and the fee owed to FOM. In short, it all comes down to money.
The financial responsibility lies with ACI Italia, which promotes the race, and a 2022 study by JFC clearly showed that a theoretical investment of 30 million euros could almost be multiplied tenfold through indirect returns, delivering significant benefits to the area, attracting a large portion of spectators from outside the region and even from abroad.
“The Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix,” said ACI’s Extraordinary Commissioner Del Sette, “is a unique opportunity to assert, through motorsport, the value of our country and the ability of its institutions to work in synergy. ACI, in its role as a sporting federation, is proud to contribute to the realisation of an event that blends entertainment, technological innovation, economic impact and the promotion of Italian identity worldwide, in a region with such a strong productive vocation as Emilia-Romagna.”
It will be interesting to see whether the synergy called for by Tullio Del Sette will persuade the government and all the relevant institutions to open their wallets and meet the financial requirements to satisfy F1. The presence of all major figures at next week’s GP launch suggests that a financial agreement may indeed be reached, especially at a time when Italy is willing to open new markets for Made in Italy products if the tariffs promised by Donald Trump return.
Today, F1 has an extraordinary media capacity to convey important messages globally: every effort must be made to avoid losing this… showcase, which also expresses the technological and innovative capabilities of a country that wants to play a leading role on the international stage.
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