Monza planning rescue talks with Ecclestone

The future of Monza as the venue of the Italian Grand Prix is still in jeopardy, but Italy's motorsport boss is optimistic a deal can soon be struck with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

Monza's current deal with FOM runs out at the end of the current year, but for several months now, ongoing negotiations between the event's promoters and Ecclestone have failed to entice the latter to extend Monza's contracted Formula 1 franchise.

Ecclestone himself, as recently as last week in Spa, expressed pessimism about the race remaining on the F1 calendar.

"I don't know about Monza at the moment. I have got meetings there in September, so we will see. I hope we don't lose it, but I think there is a good chance we will."

But on Tuesday in Milan, Angelo Sticchi Damiani, the boss of the Italian motorsport federation ACI expressed his belief that a deal to grant an extension to Monza's contract was still very much in the works.

"Monza must overcome the situation that we all know well," said Sticchi Damiani. "I think with a bit of optimism, there are opportunities for this to happen. Bernie is sensitive to the history of Monza, but F1 is expensive and we have to be able to meet the commitments."

Roberto Maroni, the president of the Lombardy region, said his government is ready to do its part and commit 70 million euros to help upgrade Monza's infrastructure over the next decade, although it cannot help finance the race's hosting fee demanded by FOM, the most contentious item under discussion between the involved parties.

Ecclestone has underlined however that the fee increase is only destined to bring Monza in line with the amount other European venues are paying.

"They don't have to give any more than other people," explained Ecclestone. "We just want the same."

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