Sticchi Damiani rubbishes 'fake news' Monza cancellation

ACI president and Italian GP promoter Angelo Sticchi Damiani has dismissed as "fake news" rumors that Monza has been axed from F1's revised 2020 schedule.

Formula 1 is in the process of trying to rebuild a semblance of a calendar for the sport following the cancellation and postponement so far of ten races.

F1 boss Chase Carey expressed earlier this week his confidence in seeing the racing resume in early July and unfold over the summer with a series of closed-door events in Europe before the action hopefully migrates to Asia, America and finally to the Middle-East.

A tentative revised calendar, allegedly reflecting a first draft from F1, circulated over the internet this week, and Monza was conspicuously absent from the list of races.

• Italian GP boss determined to avoid 'disastrous' last-minute cancellation

But Sticchi Damiani denied that Monza has been scrapped from the this year's likely shortened campaign.

"We are convinced that Monza will still be there, although almost certainly behind closed doors," the Italian Automobile Club president Sky Sport 24.

"We don’t realize why fake news came out about a possible absence on the calendar of the Italian Grand Prix."

While Monza will be ready to host the Italian Grand Prix on September 4, Sticchi Damiani admitted that the event's fate will depend on the extent of Italy's recovery from the coronavirus crisis.

A lack of improvement in the number of the country's COVID-19 cases in the coming months would clearly put the race in jeopardy.

"We don’t have a crystal ball to know what Italy will be like in early September," he said. "We hope this story will be over, we believe in a miracle.

"Today we are gearing up for a Grand Prix behind closed doors, this is our duty and we are working towards it."

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