Rome never wanted to replace F1’s Monza - mayor

Historic Monza is more important to formula one than Rome, the Italian capital’s mayor Gianni Alemanno has admitted.

Rome came close to joining the sport’s annual calendar until Bernie Ecclestone ruled that each country should host only a single formula one race per year.

That scuppered the chances of a street event in the EUR district, and Alemanno confirmed to Italian LA7 news that he only wanted to bring F1 to Rome if it could have complemented the historic Italian grand prix at Monza.

"We proposed to have a formula one grand prix in Rome when it was practicably possible to have two grands prix in Italy; one at Monza and another in Rome," he said.

"Then Ecclestone told us there could only be one grand prix in Italy and we said that the history is more important, so it (F1) was more important to Monza," added Alemanno.

He added that Rome does not "steal things around Italy".

"We respect the country just as we want respect for the role of Rome," said Alemanno.