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F1 must not abandon Europe - Montezemolo

"We must not exaggerate by going to race in deserts"

By GMM

28 December 2011 - 08:05

Luca di Montezemolo is worried about F1’s trend away from Europe.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone said recently that he predicts only a handful of races in Europe will still be present on the calendar in a few years.

"I give him credit that in all these years he has always had great respect for the role and importance of Ferrari in F1," the Italian marque’s president di Montezemolo is quoted by Autosprint.

"But I cannot accept this trend of F1 going away from Europe. We cannot abandon our continent, because it represents the history of formula one.

"It’s fine that formula one goes all over the world, but we must not exaggerate by going to race in deserts or where there is no culture for racing.

"For years now the calendar has missed a historic race like France, and now a legendary circuit like Spa is at risk — to be replaced with what?

"I don’t know if Ecclestone really said there will only be five European races left, but I don’t believe it," added Montezemolo.