Rome is seeking to set up a Formula One Grand Prix in the capital, Mayor Gianni Alemanno said Friday.
''We are working on it,'' he said.
''It's a very important project, one we believe in, but before we make an official announcement we have to do a lot of technical assessment''.
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 has already met with Hermann Tilke, considered the world's greatest designer of new-generation race tracks.
According to the media, the group plans to rival the historic Monaco Grand Prix.
On Thursday Max Mosley, head of motor racing's ruling body FIA, was cool about the plan, noting that Italy already has two GPs.
But he said a final decision was up to FI boss Bernie Ecclestone.
Ferrari boss Luca Cordero di Montezemolo has said a permanent race would be ''unthinkable'' but a one-off event might be open to discussion.
FG plans to stage the GP in the Mussolini-era Roman district of EUR.
Enthusiasts point out that overtaking would be possible there unlike other new street circuits like Valencia and Singapore.
Italy already has two F1 circuits, Monza which is home to the Italian Grand Prix and Imola which hosts the San Marino GP.
The group has assured Monza executives its plan would not threaten the Italian GP, one of the longest-running events on the motor racing calendar.
It was first run in 1921.
