The Rome Street Circuit was a proposed motorsport circuit, to be on the streets of
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
. An initial agreement to host
Formula One
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
races starting in 2012 was announced in December 2009,
but after a lack of support from residents and no agreement to share the
Italian Grand Prix
The Italian Grand Prix () is the fifth oldest national Grand Prix motor racing, motor racing Grand Prix (after the French Grand Prix, the United States Grand Prix, the Spanish Grand Prix and the Russian Grand Prix), having been held since 1921 ...
with
Monza
Monza (, ; ; , locally ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the Lambro, River Lambro, a tributary of the Po (river), River Po, in the Lombardy region of Italy, about north-northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the province of Mo ...
, the project was abandoned in early 2011.
Layout
The proposed layout depicted a track in the southern outskirts of the city, in the
Esposizione Universale Roma
EUR is a residential area and the major business district in Rome, Italy, part of the Municipio IX.
The area was originally chosen in the 1930s as the site for the 1942 World's Fair which Benito Mussolini planned to open to celebrate twenty y ...
area, an area built by
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 un ...
to host the
World Expo
A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition, is a large global exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specific site for a perio ...
in 1942, before it was cancelled by the outbreak of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
Bernie Ecclestone
Bernard Charles Ecclestone (born 28 October 1930) is a British business magnate, motorsport executive and former racing driver. Widely known in journalism as the "F1 Supremo", Ecclestone founded the Formula One Group in 1987, controlling the c ...
said that the track could have had a close proximity to the
Vatican
Vatican may refer to:
Geography
* Vatican City, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy
* Vatican Hill, in Rome, namesake of Vatican City
* Ager Vaticanus, an alluvial plain in Rome
* Vatican, an unincorporated community in the ...
, joking that, "every time there is an overtaking manoeuvre, we’re going to put the black smoke up."
The proposed circuit ran over roads near
Tre Fontane Abbey
Tre Fontane Abbey (; ), or the Abbey of Saints Vincent and Anastasius, is a Roman Catholic abbey in Rome, held by monks of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance, better known as Trappists. It is known for raising the lambs whose wool is u ...
, using a route that partially followed the circuit used for the
Rome Grand Prix
The Rome Grand Prix (), also known as the ''Premio Reale di Roma'' (1925–1932) and ''Gran Premio di Roma'' (1947–1991), was an automobile race held in Rome, Italy from 1925 until 1991.
Through the years a number of different regulations and ...
between
1928
Events January
* January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly demonstrating that DNA is the genetic material.
* January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris B ...
and
1930
Events
January
* January 15 – The Moon moves into its nearest point to Earth, called perigee, at the same time as its fullest phase of the Lunar Cycle. This is the closest moon distance at in recent history, and the next one will be on J ...
.
History
The history of this project can be traced back to 1984, when the idea was first floated by former
Formula Two
Formula Two (F2) is a type of Open-wheel car, open-wheel formula racing category first codified in 1948. It was replaced in 1985 by Formula 3000, but revived by the FIA from 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship season, 2009 to 2012 FIA Formula Two C ...
driver and
World Superbike
Superbike World Championship (also known as WorldSBK, SBK, World Superbike, WSB, or WSBK) is a Silhouette racing car, silhouette road racing series based on heavily modified production sports motorcycles.
The championship was founded in . The Su ...
promoter
Maurizio Flammini, who then revived the idea in January 2009. Flammini, now the course planner, then gained the support of mayor
Gianni Alemanno
Giovanni "Gianni" Alemanno (born 3 March 1958) is an Italian politician who from April 2008 until June 2013 was mayor of Rome for The People of Freedom. He was the secretary of the National Movement for Sovereignty from 2017 to 2019.
Career
At ...
. Alemanno said that the race would bring €1 billion to the city, and would be a part of the a plan to renew the city's tourist appeal into the future. However,
Luca di Montezemolo
Luca Cordero di Montezemolo (; born 31 August 1947) is an Italian businessman who is best known as the former chairman of Ferrari, Fiat S.p.A., Confindustria and Alitalia.
Montezemolo descends from an aristocratic family from the region of Pied ...
, president of Ferrari, suggested the idea was unthinkable, and it should only be a one-off event, due to the large number of world-class permanent circuits in Italy, citing Monza, Imola,
Mugello,
Misano and
Vallelunga
Vallelunga (Italian for ''long valley'') is a valley, or plateau,Tonino Floris, Marco Spada, ''Pedalando nel Lazio''p. 97 Edizioni Mediterranee, 1996 . near Campagnano di Roma, Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in S ...
as examples.
In May 2009, Rome launched their plans, beginning a ''Roma Formula Futuro'' campaign.
Legacy
In 2018 a street circuit in the EUR district, known as the
Circuto Cittadino dell'EUR
The Circuito cittadino dell'EUR was a street circuit located in the EUR neighborhood in Rome, Italy. It was used for the Rome ePrix of the single-seater, electrically powered Formula E championship. It was first used on 14 April 2018 for the 201 ...
, hosted the inaugural
Rome ePrix
The Rome ePrix was an annual race of the open-wheel car, single-seater, Electric car, electrically powered Formula E championship held at the Circuito Cittadino dell'EUR in Rome, Italy. The race became official when local government unanimousl ...
for
Formula E
Formula E, officially the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, is an open-wheel single-seater motorsport championship for electric cars. The racing series is the highest class of competition for electrically powered single-seater racing cars ...
.
See also
*
Rome Grand Prix
The Rome Grand Prix (), also known as the ''Premio Reale di Roma'' (1925–1932) and ''Gran Premio di Roma'' (1947–1991), was an automobile race held in Rome, Italy from 1925 until 1991.
Through the years a number of different regulations and ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Official Circuit presentation
Motorsport venues in Italy