Concern for Imola and Monza: 'They are not going as well as hoped.
F1 News
- GPblog.com
Once again this season, Italy will host two Grands Prix. One at Monza and one at Imola. The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix is just around the corner, while the highly anticipated Italian GP will be held as usual in September. However, ticket sales do not seem to be going as planned. How come? Automobile Club d'Italia president Angelo Sticchi Damiani seems to know the answer.
Asked about the issue during the radio programme La Politica nel Pallone, Sticchi Damiani said: "We have to keep our commitments to F1 and ticket sales for the two races are not going as we hoped. Ferrari's performance is decisive: when it is going well, purchases spike." For the ACI president, therefore, Ferrari's poor start to the season is affecting ticket sales for the two Italian Grand Prix.
A poor result in terms of spectators would be a big problem for both circuits, also considering what Stefano Domenicali said recently. "History should always be remembered and valued, but it should not be an excuse not to invest. As an Italian I would like to see my country react to a request for growth that comes from everyone," said the F1 president, recalling once again that in today's Formula 1 history is not enough to stay on the calendar.
In particular, as far as Imola is concerned, even the president of the Emilian circuit Gian Carlo Minardi had recalled the importance of the fans to keep the Emilia-Romagna GP on the calendar in an interview with GPblog: "We need the support of all the fans to show what Imola is and what Imola is worth."
But is this really the case?
Following Sticchi Damiani's words, it has been pointed out from several quarters that the poor result in terms of sales may be due, more than to Ferrari's results, to the excessively high cost of tickets (especially for Monza) and last year's organisational difficulties, which left more than a few fans disappointed.
Moreover, as the Corriere di Bologna has verified, more than 80% of the tickets for Sunday's Imola have already been sold and it seems a foregone conclusion that they will be sold out, despite the increase in capacity. A few more tickets, even in the lower price brackets, are available for the other days. A similar discourse can be made for Monza, where the check has instead been made by f1ingenerale.com: for race day, there are still only a few seats left in the grandstands at the first chicane.