Local official says Monza 'will be saved'

A general view of the circuit during Previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo di Monza on September 4, 2014
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A local sports official is confident that Monza will secure its place on the F1 calendar for 2017 and beyond.

A local sports official is confident that Monza will secure its place on the Formula 1 calendar for 2017 and beyond.

Negotiations between Bernie Ecclestone and race organisers are ongoing and reportedly troubled, but Oreste Perri, president of Lombardy's Olympic committee, is upbeat.

"Just now I spoke with my delegate of Monza and he told me the grand prix will be saved," he is quoted as saying by local reports including Mediaset.

"We must continue to work on it because we do not want it to be safe for one year only and then we are talking about it again.

"Monza is Monza and I think Formula 1 would lose a lot without it."

However, F1 supremo Ecclestone warned only on Sunday that the sport could survive without one of its most historic venues.

"I don't think we have to have Monza or an Italian Grand Prix," he told the Mail on Sunday.

"Somebody once told me a funny thing that you couldn't have Formula 1 without a race in France. But we do," added Ecclestone.

2016's Italian Grand Prix is scheduled for September 4.

Kimi Raikkonen of Finland and Ferrari walks across the paddock during practice for the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on April 17, 2015
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