Monza responds as F1 calendar place at risk

Work to bring the Autodromo Nazionale Monza up to modern standards has begun, as the circuit looks to secure its future on the Formula 1 calendar.

The €21 million renovations started this week following a ceremony on the circuits start/finish straight, with the redevelopments set to last 140 days until June. This year's Italian Grand Prix will take place from 30th August to 1st September.

The work includes a complete resurface of the track, construction of a new underpass, improved pit building facilities, and a series of grandstand improvements - notably at the first corner.

The circuit has a contract to host an F1 race through to 2025, but the future of the race is up in the air. Last year, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali stressed the need for Monza to upgrade its facilities if it wants to have a contract extension.

"Monza can't afford to have problems"

Italian Federation President, Angelo Sticchi Damiani, stressed the importance of the renovations: “Our main goal is to bring the Autodromo back up to speed.

“We can no longer afford to have problems with the flow of fans, and we must offer greater comfort to those who come to the circuit. We have set ourselves three goals to best meet the requests made to us, and of these the first is the underpasses.

"The second goal is related to the grandstands. We still have several temporary structures, so we will build more solid structures that will provide all the amenities in line with what a spectator expects today. Each grandstand will be an island with all the necessary services inside, so that the public will not have to move around.

"Finally, a permanent type of roofing will be built over the pit building (it is currently a tensile structure). The support pillars will be reinforced because the structure will grow in height."