Loss of Monza would be ‘ripping our hearts out’ according to Vettel

Sebastian Vettel has called on F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone to keep Monza on the series calendar amid rumors that the longtime home of the Italian Grand Prix could be dropped in 2016.

The German finished second behind Lewis Hamilton at Monza, leading the charge for Scuderia Ferrari while teammate Kimi Raikkonen grabbed fifth.

The uncertainty for over the future for one of F1’s most historic and prestigious venues as the host of the Italian Grand Prix has also put other tracks, such as Imola, back into consideration. Matteo Renzi, the prime minister of Italy, was seen around the paddock Sunday morning to lobby Ecclestone for a contract extension.

Following spirited cheers from the tifosi, Vettel does not believe the iconic circuit should fall by the wayside of the F1 calendar.

“Look at this,” said Vettel, noting the sea of fans under the podium. “This says it all! This is the best second place I have ever had, the emotions I have.

“If we take this away from the calendar for any shitty money reason you are basically ripping our hearts out. It makes it so much worthwhile [when] you stand on the grid. It was an incredible day.”

About Joey Barnes 600 Articles
Joey Barnes is the Founder of Motorsports Tribune, an outlet that began with the goal of helping aspiring journalists break into and grow the industry. A regular on the racing scene since 2013, the journey for Joey started by covering a Grand-Am event at Circuit of The Americas in his home state of Texas. He has since primarily focused on the IndyCar Series, with appearances in the garages of NASCAR, paddocks of Formula 1, IMSA and World Endurance Championship, while also occasionally engulfing clouds of dust at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals and select Supercross rounds. With previous stops at Autoweek, IndyCar.com, Motorsport.com and RACER, among others, Joey evolved from the singular task as a freelance writer to advanced roles behind the copy desk and alongside some of the best editorial teams in the business. Recognized as a multi-time award winner by the National Motorsports Press Association, Joey currently resides in Dallas-Fort Worth with his trusty four-legged canine companion, Rocket.

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