Ecclestone says no country can stage more than one race
Plans to stage a Formula One race through the streets of Rome appear to be fading fast after Bernie Ecclestone said that no country should stage more than one grand prix.
It had been hoped that the Italian capital could host a race in its EUR district from 2013 but Ecclestone, F1's commercial rights controller, has told organisers that two races in Italy during the course of one season would not be possible.
Their hopes now rest on a shared deal with Monza, home of the Italian Grand Prix, with project chief Mauricio Flammini saying: "Ecclestone has proposed alternating Rome and Monza."
However, angry Monza officials have said they will do everything to prevent a Rome race and the historic track's popularity with fans and teams alike - it first staged the Italian Grand Prix in 1922 - makes it highly unlikely such an idea would be agreed to.
Rome mayor Gianni Alemanno, whose city is also bidding for the 2020 Olympics, said: "If there must be a choice between the two races we will take a step back."
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has also said that with 20 races now on the global calendar including newcomers India, there is no room for two in the same country.
Spain currently holds the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona and the European Grand Prix in Valencia but the latter's expense has been questioned by local politicians and could rotate to other nations in years to come.
It had been hoped that the Italian capital could host a race in its EUR district from 2013 but Ecclestone, F1's commercial rights controller, has told organisers that two races in Italy during the course of one season would not be possible.
Their hopes now rest on a shared deal with Monza, home of the Italian Grand Prix, with project chief Mauricio Flammini saying: "Ecclestone has proposed alternating Rome and Monza."
However, angry Monza officials have said they will do everything to prevent a Rome race and the historic track's popularity with fans and teams alike - it first staged the Italian Grand Prix in 1922 - makes it highly unlikely such an idea would be agreed to.
Rome mayor Gianni Alemanno, whose city is also bidding for the 2020 Olympics, said: "If there must be a choice between the two races we will take a step back."
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has also said that with 20 races now on the global calendar including newcomers India, there is no room for two in the same country.
Spain currently holds the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona and the European Grand Prix in Valencia but the latter's expense has been questioned by local politicians and could rotate to other nations in years to come.
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