Roma Abandons F1 Grand Prix For 2020 Olympic Games

Rome announced that they are officially abandon the plans of an urban Formula 1 Grand Prix, for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Rome tried for several months to reach an agreement with Bernie Eccleston for hosting a Formula 1 Grand Prix starting the 2013 season, but the owner of the F1 commercial rights warned the Italy’s capital city officials that no country is going to host to Grands Prix.

Because Monza is the host of the Italian Grand Prix, at least until 2016, the Rome officials have confirmed on Friday that they are definitively abandoning the Formula 1 plans, as they will focus on their bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games.

“Today we definitively and formally abandon the Formula One project for Rome. We are and will be side by side with Rome because the Olympic bid can be successful and a victory for Rome can be a victory for all of Italy,” said Gianni Alemanno, mayor of Rome, in a press conference.

At the moment, Spain is the only country that hosts two Formula 1 Grands Prix, but the one in Valencia will be held as an alternative to other GP races to enter the Formula 1 calendar.