Now Todt worried about Monza's F1 future

Sep.12 (GMM) Jean Todt admits he is concerned Italy may fall off the Formula 1 radar.

The sport’s only Italian driver, Antonio Giovinazzi, is in danger of losing his Alfa Romeo seat, while F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has flagged trouble for the future of the Italian GP at Monza.

“I hope Monza stays on the calendar, but we need to think about a business model where there is a return,” Domenicali said last week.

He was speaking after a meagre 16,000 tickets were sold for Sunday’s main race, amid tight covid-related restrictions.

“Why is there so little public in Monza?” FIA president Todt told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I would be very disappointed if there wasn’t at least one race in Italy on the Formula 1 calendar in the next few years,” the Frenchman added.

“But it is a question to ask Stefano Domenicali.”

Indeed, after December, 75-year-old Todt is departing Formula 1 completely at the conclusion of his third and final term as FIA president.

“After that I’ll disappear, because I don’t want to be that kind of former president,” Todt said.

“I will be involved in activities as the United Nations special envoy for global road safety, but then I would like to finally dedicate more time to my family.”