From hosting two Grands Prix in recent years, Italy now risks disappearing from the calendar. The potential approval of the latest Emergency Decree could lead to a change in the presidency of ACI, a development that greatly concerns Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. This scenario jeopardizes the guarantees underpinning the recent renewal of the Italian GP until 2031, threatening Monza, Imola, and Sardinia’s presence in the Formula 1 and WRC calendars.
The regulatory framework
The risks for Formula 1 in Italy stem from the latest Emergency Decree awaiting approval, currently under joint review by the Environment and Budget Committees. The bill proposes introducing term limits for public entities that also act as sports federations, including ACI. There is a possibility that the rule could be made retroactive, triggering new elections for the presidency of the Automobile Club and invalidating Angelo Sticchi Damiani’s current fourth term. Adding to this is the 2025 Budget Law, whose Article 116 obliges ACI to pay €50 million annually to the treasury, complicating—but not entirely halting—the modernization of Monza’s Autodrome.
In an interview with the Italian media last September, the ACI president acknowledged the need to modernize the Monza Autodrome as an essential condition for keeping the Grand Prix on the calendar: “An essential element of the contract is the completion of works that have yet to be carried out. To renew the contract, we must ensure these works are completed within certain deadlines.” Recently interviewed by *Autosprint*, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali reiterated this point, emphasizing the pivotal role of ACI President Angelo Sticchi Damiani: “Monza must modernize. I have to say that, in this regard, the ACI president has really stepped up.”
The scenarios
Stefano Domenicali’s main concern is the potential internal elections at ACI, which could disrupt the well-established collaboration with the current president—a concern he has not hesitated to express. According to information from *FormulaPassion*, the necessary conditions for maintaining not only the Formula 1 Grands Prix at Monza and Imola but also the WRC in Sardinia are at risk. This marks a sudden shift after the six-year extension of the Italian GP celebrated in 2024.
Notably, the renewal of the Monza GP until 2031, signed on November 27, came just a month after Sticchi Damiani’s reelection on October 16, 2024. The current ACI president is a central figure in the relationship with Formula 1, with Monza and Imola’s future depending not just on financial considerations but also on experience and specific organizational skills. “Certainly, if Monza doesn’t meet its commitments, a strong candidate with Imola is already prepared,” Domenicali warned in *Autosprint*.
In reality, both Italian Grands Prix are at risk. Stefano Domenicali’s comments confirm the possibility of canceling the existing contract. Despite the renewal signed in November, the agreement includes a termination clause at Formula 1’s sole discretion if certain conditions are not met. Just as there was relief over the extension until 2031, the Italian GP is once again under threat, along with Imola’s position and Sardinia’s place in the WRC.
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