The president of the Automobile Club d'Italia has ruled out speculation that the Italian Grand Prix could shift to Imola.

The talk follows the lack of action as official at Monza and formula One Management fail to agree a new deal once the current contract ends after this year's race in September.

Speaking at the FIA's Sport Conference in Turin, Italy, ACI president Angelo Sticchi Damiani explained that state funding for the Italian Grand Prix was legally committed to the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.

"In Italian financial law it is written that the grand prix should be Monza, not Imola," Damiani explained. "The involvement of the Automobile Club of Italy, who is involved directly in the running of the grand prix starting next year, is for an Italian Grand Prix running in Monza, not in Imola. This is a new law, a financial law, that was approved at the beginning of the year."

He admitted that the ongoing negotiations have been challenging.

"Let's say it is a difficult negotiation," he said. "It is the first time in Italy that it takes a burden to organise a Formula One grand prix with significant funds. The fact that ACI is replacing the Automobile Club Milan - which is organising the grand prix this year - is of course a revolution, a quite relevant one. Thanks to the support of the Lombardy regional authority, and hopefully also thanks to a national sponsor - although these have to be defined in the details - thanks to these supports, we managed to begin [negotiations] in February.

"In Monte Carlo we found many common points with Ecclestone. There are things that still have to be defined, but I dare say we are very close to an agreement despite some actions which have not helped the negotiations. Quite the opposite, it has made it difficult."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Paul C, 22/06/2016 18:53

"Bring the European GP back to Europe. Start with Imola. Baku can be the GP of the Middle East, along with the Turkish track. It's too good to be a car storage lot."

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2. Posted by Ro, 22/06/2016 18:28

"My last post was a bit too rude...sorry...I still think that Imola could host the "GP of Europe" next year....its a brilliant track, I remember watching Nigel Mansell coming down to Aque MNinerale chicane (the old one) ...it was awsome....
"

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3. Posted by edllorca, 22/06/2016 14:04

"Too bad because Imola is a more entertaining track than Monza. Change the law."

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4. Posted by Ro, 21/06/2016 17:00 (moderated by an Adminstrator, 21/06/2016 19:56)

"This comment was removed by an administrator as it was judged to have broken the site's posting rules and etiquette."

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ACI president rules out Imola switch for Italian GP

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