Imola to replace Paul Ricard track on next season's calendar?

Sep.24 - Imola looks set to nudge Paul Ricard off the Formula 1 calendar.

Early this week, a leaked version of the purported 2022 race calendar emerged, and it showed that one date has been reserved either for Paul Ricard or Imola.

Imola, located in Italy and the former San Marino GP host, re-emerged in Formula 1 to help fill in the calendar gaps amid the ongoing covid crisis.

Singapore is reportedly also in doubt for 2022.

"We are a region that for some years has been able to have high-level sporting events," said Stefano Bonaccini, president of the Emilia-Romagna region in which Imola is located.

"We will soon be able to have the Imola circuit as a fixed round of the Formula 1 world Championship," he added.

"We have the support of government and should have positive news soon."

Indeed, it is expected that an official announcement of a race deal through 2025 will be made as soon as Saturday.

"It will be a historic agreement, thanks to the commitment of the government, who I thank," Bonaccini added.

Imola mayor Marco Panieri is also quoted by Italian sources: "The agreement is safe and will be made official on Saturday, on the occasion of the presentation of the 2022 calendar."

He said the investment in the race going forwards will be "more or less double that" of 2020 and 2021.

Local Imola official Elena Penazzi added: "We have committed ourselves to ensuring that it is an event that is open to the public.

"There is a great desire for normality and to fill up the standards. Let's say that in 2022 we will not be bored."

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