Give your support to Monza
21/03/2006 Regular readers may be aware that in 1998 I began an online campaign to prevent the demolition of the famous banked sections at the legendary Autodromo Nazionale di Monza. It might seem odd that it took an Englishman to draw attention to a problem in Italy, but that was not the only thing I learned from F1 at that time. Contemporary teams absolutely refused to get involved, with David Richards, then working at Benetton, telling me that "we," referring to the Italian owned team, "prefer to take the middle ground" when it comes to such issues. This stance was echoed by virtually all the contemporary teams and drivers, who preferred not to get involved. Thankfully this didn't apply to former racing legends including John Surtees, Stirling Moss, Jody Scheckter, Jack Brabham and Phil Hill, while movie director John Frankenheimer, the man responsible for Grand Prix, the motion picture which used the Monza banking to such dramatic effect, was also a supporter. Urging the Italians to preserve the banking, to a long-time F1 devotee, was pretty much like asking them to preserve other national treasures, after all, isn't Monza the modern equivalent of the Circus Maximus? Now, Monza needs your help yet again. In case you are not aware, the future of motor racing, and that includes the Italian Grand Prix, is under threat, because of protests regarding noise emanating from the Italian track. It is hard to believe but the future of this most emotive of tracks is under threat because of a legal action brought by two families who live outside the walls of the Parco di Monza in the village of Biassono. Needless to say, these two families reside in houses constructed after the Autodromo was built. The court has decreed that in future no races can take place at the Autodromo unless cars and bikes are fitted with silencers - which would be impossible as far as F1 is concerned. The circuit has already been forced to cancel a number of events including the Intereurope Cup and the 1000Km. I have enjoyed a long love affair with the Autodromo, even to the point of getting married there. Although the track has lost some of its character, mainly due to the emasculation brought about in the name of safety, it remains one of the most charismatic venues on the F1 calendar. In the age of Tilke, the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, which has played host to all the legends of motorsport, represents the very soul of our sport, and to lose it would be an utter disgrace. An on-line petition has been created and I urge all of you to give your support. This isn't about race fans, it is about those that work in the sport, those that build the cars, drive the cars and run the teams. This isn't about politics it is about standing up and being counted, for if Formula One loses track of its past, it has no future. Don't site on the fence, make your voice heard... and stuff the silencers! The petition can be found at petitiononline.com Chris Balfe
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