The Director of Monza’s organising committee, Ivan Capelli says that Imola will be taking legal action over the Government backing of the deal to keep the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Speaking to Autosport, Capelli said that the court will meet to discuss the case.
“The appeal court in Rome is going to judge if the steps the Automobile Club did until now, in telling the Autodromo of Monza that is the only title to receive the government money, is legal, Imola put an application saying it’s not legal.”
On Friday, it was announced that Monza secured a three-year-deal to host the Italian Grand Prix but the contract has yet to be signed.
The Imola circuit has taken legal action after they felt that the Automobile club d’Italia had not legitimately given Monza, government funding and not Imola for future races.
Capelli adds, “Last year the [Italian Prime Minister] Matteo Renzi was [at Monza] and then we had an amendment in the law saying that the Automobile Club of Italy could use the tax that we pay, to use that money to pay the Bernie [Ecclestone] fee through the Automobile Club of Italy.”
“And Imola says, ‘no, if the Automobile Club is giving the money to Monza, it’s unfair, because we are the same level, we are an automobile club as well, and we want the same money that they’re giving to Monza’.”
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone reassured Autosport that the deal is almost complete but the delay was down to, “The people in Imola are starting an action against these people using public money.”
