Formula 1 is racing and Italy is struggling to keep up. Next Sundaybut there is the Monza Grand Prix with half-open doors: the tickets available are 50,000, those sold are 16,000. Negative record. Second bad news: Antonio Giovinazzi’s place in Alfa Romeo is increasingly precarious. The future of the only Italian driver of the last decade hangs by a thread: the Dutch Nyck De Vries and the Chinese Guanyu Zhou compete for his seat. One likes it because he is a compatriot of Verstappen and would exploit the effect, the other because it would open the door to a huge market for constructors today in F1.
The driving effect of Ferrari is missing. The results on the track are improving, but the victories are postponed to 2022. “A competitive Red will be good for everyone, I hope it will happen also for reasons of heart”. During the Monza weekend, Stefano Domenicali meets the Italian press via videoconference. «So far it has been a spectacular season. With social media and Netflix we have also attracted young audiences ».
The tricolor race falls a week after the festive sold out in Zandvoort, 70,000 spectators a day, free practice included. «The business models of a Grand Prix are two – explains the president of Formula 1 -. There are organizers who receive public grants because F1 is part of a relaunch plan. Or they are entrepreneurial activities managed as such. If in the medium term you don’t bring home a profit, you don’t go on, whatever the model “.
Domenicali warns: there are more requests than available dates, a sign that the top category of motoring is a platform that makes money, and there is also room for a double national appointment, in a mix of historic Grand Prix and new entries. The national racetrack will take advantage of the second episode of the sprint qualification. As in Silverstone, Friday will be dedicated to a traditional qualifying which will determine the starting grid for a 100km sprint race to be held on Saturday. The sprint classification will assign points to the first three classified (3, 2, 1), will establish the grid at the start of the race on Sunday and will make statistics as pole position. Domenicali reveals that the comments of fans have been largely positive: “Next year a third of the GPs (out of a total of 23, ed) will have this new format”. In the meantime, the Brazilian round of Interlagos is confirmed, including sprint qualification.
The Giovinazzi case is of these days. Just yesterday Williams announced that former Red Bull Alexander Albon will race alongside Nicholas Latifi. The only place still uncovered is that of Alfa Romeo. Nikita Mazepin, Haas driver, let it slip that next year he will ask for the number 99 previously assigned to the Italian driver, assuming his farewell to F1. “From a business point of view, China has great potential and needs examples. But Antonio deserves the renewal, with my heart I am with him ».
A final note about the public: closed doors were a necessity in times of Covid, “but the spectators are the element that differentiates a unique event, from sport to music. We work to give an unforgettable experience to those who pay the ticket ». Speaking of prices: a ticket to Monza costs an average of 300 euros. Is it too much?