Roberto Marazzi, director of the Imola circuit, told Racingnews365 that they had sent their request to Formula One and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile.

Imola President Uberto Selvatico Estense insisted the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, which last hosted a race on the calendar under the San Marino Grand Prix title in 2006, was fully licensed for Formula One cars and the track could be ready in time.

Estense admitted, however, that it would be difficult to arrange and said their proposal was akin to "mission impossible".

"We can move very fast to host a Grand Prix as we did in the past," he said.

"We would not be at our best, of course. 

"But if it's necessary, we will move on with it.

"It's kind of a mission impossible.

"I'm a dreamer.

"I always hoped that this opportunity would come. 

"But it's very difficult, it's true."

Imola has previously stepped in to host races at short notice and held a round of the GP2 Asia series after two weekends of racing were cancelled due to civil unrest in Bahrain in April 2011.

Formula One announced earlier this month that the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai had been postponed following the outbreak of the virus, which has killed more than 2,000 people worldwide and infected in excess of 75,000.

Organisers said they were hoping to stage the race later in the calendar if the situation in China improved.

The decision to postpone the Grand Prix means there is a month-long break between the inaugural Vietnam Grand Prix and the Dutch race, with Imola emerging as a candidate to fill the gap in the schedule.

Legendary Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna died in an accident during the 1994 Grand Prix at Imola.