Rome....the street circuit | FerrariChat

Rome....the street circuit

Discussion in 'F1' started by DF1, Dec 21, 2009.

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  1. DF1

    DF1 Two Time F1 World Champ

    I love Rome. Another no passing street circuit? I hope not. How many more parades do we need.

    Report: Formula One heading to Rome
    Sunday 20th December 2009 - PlanetF1.com

    Bernie Ecclestone has agreed a deal which would see Formula One come to the streets of Rome, according to course planner Maurizio Flammini.

    A Rome grand prix, raced through the streets of the Italian capital much like that of Monaco, has been in planning for over a year and a half.

    And Flammini, the creator of the idea, has revealed they have now been given the green light by the Formula One supremo.

    "The agreement with Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone to give life to the Rome Grand Prix has already been done and signed," he told Sky Italia.

    "The appropriate course still has to be defined."

    Italy already has a grand prix on the world championship circuit, in Monza.

    There were fears when plans for a Rome grand prix were first mooted that it would replace the historic track which has been a more or less permanent fixture in the Formula One calendar since 1922.

    However, the mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, insists it will serve as a second Italian grand prix.

    "We think the Rome Grand Prix would be very important and we are in favour of it," he said. "And it's not true that it is an alternative to Monza.

    "Monza is a grand prix on the circuit, and the grand prix of Rome is integrative to that of Monza, it's not a replacement.

    "We have calculated that there will be an income of one billion euros a year with this grand prix and Rome needs to renew its tourist appeal.

    "Not only the past, archaeology and monuments, but also the future, something which is aimed at families and youngsters."
     
  2. DGS

    DGS Six Time F1 World Champ
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    #2 DGS, Dec 21, 2009
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2009
    Wow. What an odd coincidence.

    Just last night I had a weird dream about watching an F1 race where everyone had gone into the pits except a couple of back markers. The coverage followed the back markers driving around on an otherwise empty track (might have been Turkey) until they lost contact with one another.

    Then there was an announcement about a "bit of a battle going on between Vettel and Alonso", and the scene cut to an onboard camera ...
    ... following an MG Midget through some urban highway interchanges.


    Analyze That. ;)
     
  3. Ferrarista3

    Ferrarista3 F1 Rookie

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    I'd love to see a Roman GP *if* it won't affect Monza.
     
  4. starboy444

    starboy444 F1 Veteran

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    #4 starboy444, Dec 21, 2009
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2009
    Is there any truth to this rumour?

    I have only read the same editorial comments in various other news reports. "the Rome Grand Prix has already been done and signed"....

    Where in the schedule would it be? Would this be a replacement for the Turkish GP? Will it happen in 2010?
     
  5. jknight

    jknight F1 Veteran

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    same here - reports are saying there will be TWO Italian Grands Prix.....time will tell

    Carol
     
  6. PCA Hack

    PCA Hack Formula Junior

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    We had Monza & San Marino for a good bit without any issues.

    The streets of Rome would certainly make for a dramatic background but I'd rather the cars back at Imola.

    Man, just think back only ten years and the quality circuits that are no longer on the schedule like Imola, A1 Ring, full Hockenheim and Magny-Cours.
     
  7. starboy444

    starboy444 F1 Veteran

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    +100

    Unbelievable that such "Blue Chip" Circuits at Imola and Hockenheim have been left out!

    Circuito Enzo e Dino Ferrari (Imola) is one of the best and beloved tracks in Europe....such a shame.
     
  8. robert_c

    robert_c F1 Rookie

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    IMHO it's just leverage for Bernie to get Turkey to pay up.
     
  9. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Yes, this has been in the works for several years now.

    The location would be most likely the rather ugly area that Mussolini built as his fascist architecture. So it wouldn't be in the center of Rome.

    The Turkish GP is done for, no chance in hell that gets renewed past 2010.

    Personally I'm more than happy to see Rome on the calendar. It could be much worse and the Turkish GP gets replaced by yet another race in Asia (way too many of those on the calendar right now).
     
  10. Papa G

    Papa G Formula 3

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    Soooo right!!
     
  11. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Speaking of Imola, when, or will it even be back in the F1 calender? IIRC, 2011-2012 maybe?
     
  12. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

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    Imola was ruined with the unnecessary modifications after Senna's death ... it wasn't the tracks fault it was the lack of run off/sand traps.

    Was a great track before then, now just another piece of sh!tty tarmac.
    Pete
     
  13. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Quite true. Not to mention proper tyre walls.
     
  14. Wolfgang5150

    Wolfgang5150 F1 Rookie

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    Done deal; I wil be there!
    Bernie Ecclestone confirmed yesterday that he has signed a seven-year deal for a street race in Rome, which he expects to stage its debut grand prix in 2012. The contract has an option for a further five years and Ecclestone says the track layout is impressive, taking the cars close to the Vatican. “Every time there is an overtaking manoeuvre, we’re going to put the black smoke up,” he quipped.
     
  15. ferrarip4

    ferrarip4 Formula 3

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    F1's on cobblestones, it will be fun ;-). I'll be watching from the swimming pool right by the Colosseum!
     
  16. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Awesome good news!

    There are so many good reasons to go to Rome. Combining it with a GP just made it much more worthwhile.

    I was hoping for a simila thing happening with Paris, but that remains a pipe dream. Rome is good though, about my 3rd most popular travel destination in Europe.

    I see trips to Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi coast, Sicily, Malta and Sardinia in my not so distant future coming up. All starting from Rome with a GP.
     
  17. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    What's the point then? If we're not going to get the shot of the F1 cars passing the Colosseum or the Spanish Steps?

    I do like Ferrari returning to the site of it's first victory as a manufacturer.
     
  18. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    That's just impractical. But for the city it'll be fantastic publicity and for the fans going there it won't matter much as the city has great public transportation.

    And Rome is big enough to just swallow the 100k fans and offer them food and accomodation without a problem. Heck, we even have direct flights from my town to Rome. That should be easy enough. :)
     
  19. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

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    Yet again nobody on this site is even interested in the quality of the race, just how good their trip overseas will be. I understand this but come on that should not be your focus, your wife can look after those concerns!

    No wonder Bernie and Max are getting the wrong message.
    Pete
     
  20. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #20 tifosi12, Dec 22, 2009
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2009
    The quality of the race is most likely not that great since it'll be a street circuit. But I rather have a not so great race in a European location than an average race in Asia. Sorry pal, but Asian races just plain suck for European and American viewing hours unless they're dusk/night races.

    I never watch the Japanese or Chinese GPs live because they would be on at something like 3am.

    As from a visiting a GP live perspective, it kinda sucks when the race is in the middle of friggen nowhere. Not only accomodations wise, but also because a trans Atlantic trip is automatically 3k for my wife and me without doing much of anything. So just going to a GP is a bit too much of a luxury, so the trip has to make sense by offering other tourist attractions and destinations. Rome/Italy is perfect for that. Much more than South Korea or Sepang.
     
  21. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

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    #21 PSk, Dec 22, 2009
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2009
    Don't have to appologise about the Asian races, or though I think it's a bit rich you getting upset about the time of the night they are on ... been like that for nearly ever race I've ever watched. Are you really a fan or just lazy ;) ... heck for something like 10 years I got up and watched them live no matter what time, twas a ritual.

    Japanese GP though is always a good race, great track.

    I understand your points about travel, but those comments are why F1 racing sncks now-a-days because the race doesn't mean enough to enough people any more to travel to a proper track. And you cannot have a proper track in an interesting city because people live there ...

    F1, actually motorsport higher than club level is dead :(.
    Pete
     
  22. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Sorry pal, but F1's main audience is in Europe, not in Asia/Australia/New Zealand. So whether it is convenient for you or me (living in the US) is utterly irrelevant.
     
  23. Crawler

    Crawler F1 Veteran

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    You are kidding, right?
     
  24. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    Nope. If the race won't be interesting, it should at least be photogenic. That's the appeal of Monaco these days.
     
  25. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

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    Never mind Rome, bring back the banking at Monza! :D
     

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