( CNN ) -- Rome 's mayor has given up hope of hosting a Formula One race in the Italian capital , and announced on Friday that he will instead focus on winning the rights to stage the summer Olympics . Italy already hosts one F1 race in the northern city of Monza , but Rome officials had hoped the historic city would have its own date on the elite motorsport 's calendar from the 2013 season onwards . `` Today we 're definitively and formally renouncing the plan for Formula One in Rome , '' Gianni Alemanno told reporters at a news conference . `` This move represents a step backwards because we have always said we would have done so , should the FIA have posed an alternative between Rome and Monza . '' Alemanno 's statement came a week after F1 's most powerful man Bernie Ecclestone suggested it would be difficult for Italy to host two races . Monza has a contract to host a grand prix until 2016 , and Alemanno said the Rome will now concentrate its efforts on a bid for the 2020 Olympic Games . `` We have an Olympic dream that is still going on . So let 's make clear to Italy and to the world we want to stage the Games in Rome , '' he said . Rome has hosted the summer Games on one previous occasion in 1960 , and has never staged the Italian Grand Prix . The race started out in Brescia in 1921 but quickly moved to Monza , which has run the event every year but one since the F1 world championship began in 1950 .
Milan 's mayor says the city will end bid to host a Formula One grand prix . Organizers had hoped to be added to the world motorsport 's racing calendar . Mayor says Italian capital will now focus on its bid for the 2020 Olympic Games . Northern city of Monza is the traditional site of one of F1 's oldest races .