NOVEMBER 20, 2006

Rejoice, rejoice

For years the facilities at Imola have been a problem for Formula 1 people with a crowded pitlane, paddock and media facilities that were out of date long ago. F1 folk may still wish to rejoice at the news that on Sunday, Italian civil engineers blew up the old pit building.

The San Marino Grand Prix may be off the F1 calendar in 2007 but the circuit hopes to get a date in 2008. That is not going to be easy although Imola's mayor says that he has assurances from Bernie Ecclestone that the race will be back on once the work is done. The work should be finished by April next year.