• Rome Grand Prix

Rome earmarks date for inaugural race

ESPNF1 Staff
January 6, 2011 « Bahrain determined to hold onto opening grand prix | »
Maurizio Flammini (R) with Rome's mayor Gianni Alemanno © Getty Images
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Organisers of the Rome Grand Prix are claiming the date August 25, 2013 has been set aside for the inaugural race in the city.

Maurizio Flammini, the man behind the bid, insists that despite speculation to the contrary, everything is on schedule for the inaugural event in the EUR district of the Italian capital.

"All the procedures are fully in line with the time needed to organise the grand prix," he told the Rome daily Il Tempo. Flammini said Italy's sanctioning bodies have "expressed interest" in the event, and once Roman city authorities approve the project he will "formalise the request to the FIA".

Ultimately, however, "the one who decides is Bernie Ecclestone", he insisted. "I have read that for nearly two years the name Formula 1 Gran Premio di Roma has been registered by [him]," Flammini added.

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