The San Marino Grand Prix was left out of the 2007 calendar when it was published at the beginning of this month. The calendar was only a provisional guide to the upcoming season and there was an Imola shaped gap in place, so people kept on hoping.

Bernie Ecclestone has now dashed all these dreams by confirming that the track will not feature in the next year.

"I'm sorry, but we have lost Imola," he was quoted in an Italian newspaper.

Quite rightly, the organisers have realised this leaves little doubt that the F1 supremo's mind is made up. They are hoping that if they reorganise themselves and reinvent their pit and paddock, they may feature in the 2008 calendar, but for now, it's goodbye to Imola.