Monza to remain on F1 calendar as Italian GP host until 2031

Formula 1 has announced that the Monza circuit will remain as host of the Italian Grand Prix until the 2031 season.

The track set in a former royal park north of Milan has hosted the most F1 races since the world championship era began, with Monza holding the Italian GP every year since 1950 other than in 1980, when Imola held the event.

Monza’s current deal with F1 had been due to expire in 2025, after it was given a one-year extension back in 2020 to cover the circuit’s role in hosting races behind closed doors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am delighted that the Italian Grand Prix will remain on the calendar until 2031,” said F1 CEO, Stefano Domenicali. “Monza is at the very heart of Formula 1 history and the atmosphere each year is unique as the Tifosi gather in huge numbers to cheer on Ferrari and the drivers.

“The recent upgrades to the circuit’s infrastructure and the planned investment show a strong commitment to the long-term future of Formula 1 in Italy, and I want to thank the President of the Automobile Club d’Italia, the Italian Government, and the Lombardy Region for their continued passion and commitment to our sport.

“I also want to pay tribute to our incredible fans across the country who support Formula 1 so passionately.”

Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton are the joint most-successful F1 drivers at Monza, with five Italian GP wins each.

The latter will attempt to emulate the former in winning an F1 world title with legendary Italian home team Ferrari next year, with Motorsport.com sources suggesting that as a result Monza has been experiencing a surge in ticket demands for the 2025 race compared to its most recent edition.

The circuit has also been investing in its facilities in recent years, with a new track surface laid down ahead of the 2024 Italian GP won by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, while upgrades to the main pit building are expected ahead of next year’s race.

Monza also built new access tunnels and changed entrances ahead of this year’s event, with access for fans and event participants often a big problem for the race organisers, given the facility’s age.

The race’s setting was altered drastically ahead of the 2023 event, due to a series of severe thunderstorms resulting in some 10,000 trees – including many that overlooked the Lesmo section of the track and shaped much of Monza’s imposing character – were lost.

Italy currently holds two F1 races each year, with Imola rejoining Monza on the schedule since 2020, with the Emilia-Romagna race’s current contract set to expire in 2025.

It had been thought likely that the cancellation of the 2023 edition of the Imola race due to flooding in the region that year would mean it got an extra race in 2026, but this is yet to be confirmed.

“It’s a great honour for us, the Automobile Club of Italy (ACI), to have succeeded in guaranteeing the hosting of six more Italian Grand Prix F1 seasons at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza after 2025,” said ACI president, Angelo Sticchi Damiani.

“We must thank the valuable and decisive contribution of the current President and CEO of Formula 1 Group, Stefano Domenicali, who made this contract extension possible.

“Much as we should, certainly, thank the Italian Government, the Lombardy Region, and all the local institutions that have allowed the Italian Grand Prix to attract, during the last editions, an ever-increasing number of enthusiastic fans.

“In particular, I want to emphasise the key contribution of the Italian Government and the Lombardy Region, which have invested resources in this centenarian circuit and funded the works carried out this year.

“As we all know, Monza is the oldest racetrack in the world to host a race of the world championship, and it is also the longest-running event on the world championship calendar.

“We are all aware that history is no longer enough. Following the resurfacing of the track and underpasses to improve the safety on track and for the fans, we are now faced with a new challenge in 2025: improving the quality and quantity of hospitality offerings.

“With this goal in mind, we are already working to keep ahead of the standards required by modern Formula 1.”