Uberto Selvatico Estense, the boss of Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, says the track are aiming for an extended stay on the Formula 1 calendar after finding their way onto the 2020 schedule this week.
The Imola circuit has been added to the race calendar for a race across the 31 October-1 November as the thirteenth round of the season after a host of other venues on the original schedule having seen their races cancelled due to the continued presence of the coronavirus pandemic.
It will be the first race around Imola since 2006, but Selvatico Estense says they have been looking to re-join the Formula 1 calendar for a few years, and they have every intention of attempting to keep their place within the schedule beyond this year.
“We have been looking for this goal for many years,” said Selvatico Estense to Motorsport.com. “We talked with the F1 Management people for a long time, and now we’ve achieved the target that we tried to get.
“I think our heritage is so important, we are so famous for F1 that this opportunity came true not only because of Covid, but also because F1 needs to come back to the historical tracks, back to the real passion of F1 fans.
“We are trying to apply to F1 for an opportunity for next year, but there’s everything to discuss after the race, I think. Our will is very clear, we are driven by our passion.”
Selvatico Estense is hopeful the Italian Government ease the COVID-19 restrictions put in place on large gatherings by the time of the race so they can bring in some fans to attend.
“On Friday our minister of health announced that probably after September they will open the opportunity to get spectators into events,” said Selvatico Estense.
“So we cross our fingers and we hope that the grandstands will be available for spectators, but nothing is fixed. Everything changes every day, so it’s very difficult to make a forecast. Our will is obviously to try to open the event, but who knows?
“Last year in that period the weather was not so bad. I think that it is workable. Obviously Italy in that period is not like in summer, but I think that it will be attractive for people in case there is a possibility to have spectators.”
