Monza beyond the Grand Prix: the challenges of promoting the Autodromo and the local area

This is the paradox that has characterised the last two years. Whilst attendance figures, ticket sales and hospitality revenue were on the rise, and whilst the championship was keen to remain at Monza – not least because of its proximity to Milan, where the teams have promoters, sponsors and clients to meet during race week – the circuit was at risk of losing two events due to an administrative deadline. “It was a historically significant milestone and radically changes our position, including in relation to Formula 1,” remarked Redaelli once the extension had been granted.

The value of the deal, however, lies not only in the risk it has averted. It lies in the asymmetry that has resulted from it. For the first time, the infrastructure has a longer timeframe than the commercial agreement it is intended to accommodate: sixteen years compared with five. At the next round of negotiations, Monza will be able to present itself with an asset that carries significant weight in negotiations: namely, a timeframe that reduces the pressure of a looming deadline. For years, the Consortium had preferred short-term agreements so as not to tie the institutions down for long periods: a choice that was defensible from a political standpoint but detrimental in terms of investment, because no operator can recoup the cost of a project under a concession that expires earlier.

“The Formula 1 Grand Prix today is an event in every sense of the word. It’s like the Super Bowl,” says Redaelli. For a historic circuit, adapting is not a matter of positioning: it is dictated by the need to compete. Around 65 per cent of the Monza audience is international, meaning they also attend other Grand Prix events. “Their expectations grow with each visit, shaped by the experiences they have at other circuits, so we simply must maintain quality standards and facilities capable of providing the level of comfort that customers demand.” A promoter who fails to keep pace does not lose customers because of a poor race. They lose them because of comparisons made elsewhere.

In terms of revenue, the most instructive example remains the 2021 Sprint, when Monza was among the first circuits in the championship to host it. Friday became a day of competition featuring qualifying, whilst Saturday featured a short race. “It radically changes the whole organisation,” recalls the president, who sums up the situation in five words: “It costs more, but it pays off.” Translated into business terms: audiences, spending and commercial opportunities spread over three days rather than just one. For an event now approaching its all-time attendance highs, this is one of the ways to increase the value of the weekend without relying solely on growth in visitor numbers.

The composition of the audience is also changing – and it’s not just about colour. There are more women, and more young people. “The increased presence of women also means that families are getting more involved,” observes Redaelli, “and young people are an essential and fundamental factor.” The ‘Antonelli effect’ – he arrives at Monza as the World Championship leader – is the most visible manifestation of this: “When Antonelli’s there, they go wild. He’s a legend amongst young people.” It is a shift that is driving the offering beyond the traditional ticket, towards longer stays, services and more comprehensive experiential packages. It is no coincidence that Redaelli refers to the approach that Stefano Domenicali set out for historic circuits from the very first year of his tenure: historic livery counts only up to a point; those who fail to adapt cannot rely on tradition alone.

These two structural advantages remain difficult to replicate. The first is the circuit, which is still revered as the ‘temple of speed’ and as the track most coveted by drivers – and not just in Formula 1. The second is Milan, which, for teams, sponsors and commercial partners, has ceased to be merely a geographical location and has become a competitive factor.

It is here that Redaelli identifies the underused space, and his proposal is more concrete than the usual appeal to sponsors: the Autodromo as a platform for the Brianza and Lombardy manufacturing sectors, even in the months when there is no Formula 1. He recounts an episode from his previous life as an entrepreneur: a group of French clients were taken to the company one day and to the circuit the next, where they took part in a high-speed driving course. ‘They reminded me of that event for several years.’ This led him to reflect on local businesses: ‘If they were to use the circuit as a place to develop their own relationships too,’ they would have at their disposal a name that is instantly recognisable worldwide.

Corporate events, tourism, motorsport heritage: revenue streams that are not dependent on the world championship calendar and which spread the business activity over a wider part of the year. The first test will come as early as 6–8 November, when Monza will host the final round of the World Endurance Championship season, following the relocation to Europe of the two concluding races on the WEC calendar. The idea of forging a closer link between the circuit and the Park follows the same logic: ‘A key priority for us at the moment is to focus on boosting tourism and creating further opportunities to develop tourism linked to the Park and the circuit, aiming to bring the Park and the circuit together as a single entity.’

Monza’s uniqueness is also its operational limitation. The circuit is situated within one of Europe’s largest enclosed parks, and any development must take into account environmental, landscape and town-planning requirements, as well as noise issues. ‘Unlike other places, where you simply say “I want to do this” and go ahead with it, here there are the park’s requirements, noise restrictions and everyone’s individual needs: it becomes difficult to reconcile them all.’

What has changed over the last three or four years, according to the president, is the approach. ‘We have established a very frank and constructive relationship with the institutions, so that whilst there is administrative rigour – which is only right – there is also a certain willingness and freedom to discuss practical matters and say: we have this need, how can we resolve it together?’ The scope of the constraints has not narrowed. What has been reduced is the time needed to ascertain what is feasible; for those planning over a twenty-year horizon, this is a cost factor even before it is a matter of relationships.

History ensures that Monza enjoys fame, a large audience and a position that is hard to replace in the world of Formula 1. The next contract renewal, however, will not be decided by history alone. Part of the outcome will depend on the ability to recoup a greater share of the value that the Grand Prix generates outside the circuit.