Imola banking on government money
ROME, Italy (Reuters) -- Talks to save Imola's F1 future will be re-opened only if the Italian government provides funding to upgrade the San Marino Grand Prix venue, Italy's motorsport head said on Friday.
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone announced in January that the race at Ferrari's home circuit would be axed after this year's grand prix on April 25.
However Massimo Marchignoli, the mayor of Imola, said last month Ecclestone had assured him there was still a chance that it could continue in 2005.
Franco Lucchesi, president of the Italian Automobile Association (ACI), told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper that he had written to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to seek assistance.
"We will reopen the talks with Ecclestone only if the government finds the resources for the 25 million euros ($30.74m) of works sought by the (International Automobile Federation) FIA and (Ecclestone's) FOA," he said.
"I have written to Prime Minister Berlusconi asking for the government to find the funding to improve Imola, a facility that remains within the public sector."
May 1 will see the 10th anniversary of the deaths of Brazilian Ayrton Senna and Austrian Roland Ratzenberger at the circuit before and during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
This season's F1 championship is bigger than ever, with a record 18 races.
