The Italian capital has other priorities to meet before organising a Formula 1 Grand Prix, Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo said on Monday.
Speaking at the LUISS school of economics, Montezemolo observed that ''if attention is going to be paid to the city then I think it should focus on investment in infrastructures, security and lighting''.
A Formula 1 Grand Prix, he added, ''could only be a one-off, showcase event. If this can be done at zero cost and can produce turnover, then fine,'' he added.
According to the Ferrari chief, who is also Fiat's chairman, Rome does not need a Grand Prix to promote its image.
Montezemolo is head of the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) which was created last season to give constructors a single voice in negotiating the future of the sport with international racing federation FIA and Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Group (FOG), which runs the sport's commercial side.
A Rome Grand Prix has the support of Mayor Gianni Alemanno and a group of Italian investors and racing enthusiasts, FG Group, was formally set up on January 29 with a view to bringing F1 to Rome in 2011.
FG claims that Ecclestone backs the idea while FIA chief Max Mosely is reported to be cool on racing in Rome when Italy already has two Formula 1 tracks in Monza and Imola.
During his address to LUISS students, Montezemolo announced that next year Ferrari's headquarters and plant in Maranello ''will be able to independently produce all its own energy needs''.
