maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 1 MAY 2019
21
SPORTS
FORMULA 1
Monza secures race until 2024
FORMULA 1 has agreed a deal
to secure the Italian Grand
Prix at the historic Monza
track until at least 2024.
An F1 statement said it had
reached an "agreement in
principle for a new five-year
deal" and it hoped to reach an
agreement "as soon as possi-
ble".
Race organisers Italian Auto-
mobile Club (ACI) said it had
agreed the "economic aspects
of the contract".
The length and cost of a new
contract have been agreed
but the deal has not yet been
signed.
The news is a boost for F1, as
not only does it protect the fu-
ture of its longest-serving cir-
cuit but it means it has com-
pleted one important step in
an attempt to retain the cur-
rent length of season at a time
when five of the 21 races have
contracts up for renewal.
The British, Spanish, Ger-
man and Mexican Grands Prix
are all in doubt for 2020 as a
result of deals that expire this
year.
On Tuesday, Silverstone
denied reports that it had se-
cured a new three-year deal
for the British Grand Prix.
Silverstone managing direc-
tor Stuart Pringle told BBC
Sport that "speculation" about
the track agreeing a deal was
"premature" but that he was
"still in negotiations in the
hope of getting one".
Vietnam will make its debut
on the F1 calendar next year
with a race in the capital Ha-
noi, and F1 is keen on a race
in the Netherlands, at the his-
toric Zandvoort track that last
hosted a race in 1985, to lever-
age the huge fanbase for Red
Bull's Max Verstappen in his
home country.
Italian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton (centre in
white) celebrates winning the
Italian Grand Prix in 2018
