Rome presents plans for F1 race

Published 9:12 pm Thursday, May 14, 2009

ROME — Rome is pushing ahead with its effort to host a Formula One race, with the city’s mayor laying out plans for the track and private investors pledging $217 million.

However, the city has yet to make a formal bid to F1 authorities to host a race.

Mayor Gianni Alemanno presented the project in Rome on Thursday, along with the Italian businessman behind the idea, Maurizio Flammini, one of the inventors in the Superbike motorcycling division.

Under the plan, the race would be run on a city circuit in the EUR district, which was built by Benito Mussolini in the 1930s. Officials say they aim to have the first race in 2012.

The race is expected to draw some 324,000 additional tourists to the Italian capital.