Monza is already working towards keeping the Italian Grand Prix on the Formula 1 calendar beyond 2031, with ACI President Geronimo La Russa confirming that further major upgrades are planned for the historic circuit. Although the current agreement secures Formula 1 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza until 2031, the objective is now to create the conditions for a substantially longer extension.
The plans were outlined during the presentation of the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, as attention turns not only to this weekend’s race but also to the long-term future of one of Formula 1’s most historic venues. Monza has already undergone important work in recent years, and ACI intends to continue modernising the facility rather than treating the present contract as the end point.
Monza F1 contract extension beyond 2031 is already the target
The Italian Grand Prix remains one of the championship’s defining events, but its position on the calendar has not always appeared completely secure. That has increased the importance of upgrading an ageing venue while preserving the character that makes Monza unique.
Its current Formula 1 agreement runs until 2031, giving organisers a degree of long-term security. However, La Russa made clear that ACI wants the partnership to continue well beyond that date and believes the investments now being made can provide the foundations for a new agreement.
Previous phases of the redevelopment have already included work on the track surface and the circuit’s underpasses. Those projects form part of a broader modernisation programme at the Monza circuit, with the next stages shifting increasingly towards the infrastructure required around a modern Formula 1 weekend.
New race control, hospitality and press facilities planned at Monza
According to Geronimo La Russa, more construction work is expected as ACI continues to improve the Autodromo. The plans include a new race direction building, a new hospitality area and a new press room, with the hope that those facilities can be inaugurated within approximately a year.
Once those improvements are completed, the focus will move towards projects intended to support negotiations for a Formula 1 agreement extending well beyond 2031. La Russa emphasised that ACI intends to continue guaranteeing the circuit and described Monza as a uniquely important event where the whole of Italy can share the excitement surrounding Formula 1.
The strategy follows earlier discussion of a broader transformation designed to make the venue more competitive with other modern Grand Prix destinations. Monza has previously looked towards a Silverstone-style evolution to strengthen its long-term F1 future, particularly in areas such as spectator facilities and hospitality.
Italian GP attendance could approach 400,000 in 2026
The scale of demand for this year’s race demonstrates why the Italian Grand Prix remains such an important event. Sunday is completely sold out, and La Russa indicated that organisers expect almost 400,000 spectators across the event.
The ACI president acknowledged that having no seats remaining for race day creates additional logistical complications, particularly for organisers and local traffic management. At the same time, he described the situation as a source of considerable satisfaction because of the level of public interest in the event.
Race-day demand had already become clear before the weekend, with 2026 Italian Grand Prix Sunday tickets selling out as large numbers of supporters prepared to return to the Temple of Speed.
Monza occupies round 13 of the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, with the Grand Prix scheduled for September 6. For Ferrari in particular, the event remains the most emotionally significant home weekend of the season, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc racing in front of the Scuderia’s enormous Italian support.
ACI management until 2044 provides investment security
Another important element in the long-term strategy is ACI’s management of the facility. La Russa confirmed that the organisation will manage Monza until 2044, a timeframe he believes offers the security needed to continue investing in the circuit and developing its infrastructure.
He also linked that responsibility to the history of the venue, which was conceived in 1922. In La Russa’s assessment, safeguarding and improving Monza is therefore not simply an economic or contractual project but a commitment shared across the institutions involved.
That longer management horizon gives ACI considerably more time than the present Formula 1 contract itself. The immediate objective is to complete the next round of infrastructure improvements, but the wider ambition is clear: use continued investment to ensure that the Italian Grand Prix remains at Monza long after the current 2031 agreement expires.
With close to 400,000 spectators expected in 2026 and further construction already planned, the organisers are attempting to combine Monza’s historic identity with the standards demanded by contemporary Formula 1. The current contract provides security for the coming seasons, but ACI is already preparing for the negotiations that will determine whether the Temple of Speed remains part of the championship much further into the future.
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