MAY 29, 1995
Monza is on!
THE Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 10 is on - if the Italian authorities can get the necessary safety work at the track done in the time available.
Rosario Alessi and Marco Piccinini of the Italian national sporting authority had lengthy talks with FIA president Max Mosley at Monaco last week in an effort to save the race. Mosley is understood to have told the Italians that Bernie Ecclestone has managed to convince all the teams to agree to doing 17 races this year, although there are several teams which do not want an extra race on the calendar.
The FIA has also accepted that it is not possible for the Italians to change the law relating to racing accidents which can lead to prosecution of team principals. The FIA has asked the Italians to try and get the authorities to agree to a system whereby teams are given access to the cars involved in the crashes to enable them to put together a defense. The Williams team has yet to inspect the chassis in which Ayrton Senna died in May, 1994.
In exchange, the Italians have agreed to cut down 125 trees beside the track in Monza's Curva Grande. This will mean that run-off areas can be greatly increased.
The reintegration of the Italian GP into the F1 calendar will be confirmed when the FIA World Council meets in Paris in a fortnight.