Preparations for the inaugural Russian grand prix in 2014 appear to have hit a roadblock.

We reported last weekend that rumours were circulating in the Barcelona paddock that the Sochi race now appears “doomed”.

The state owned Moscow news agency Ria Novosti now reports that political issues have created “serious delays” in the race’s preparations, according to an adviser with the Russian Automobile Federation.

The official, Igor Yermilin, insisted that the project is not doomed, but he said very few efforts have taken place following the bureaucratic reshuffling of the local Krasnodar region.

He said some officials of the Omega company, responsible for the F1 circuit project, have lost their jobs.

“In the Krasnodar region there has been have been quite serious changes in the leadership,” Yermilin said, “including people from Omega who signed the contract on holding the Russian grand prix”.

The coastal city Sochi is also scheduled to host the 2014 Winter Olympics.

“The main thing at the moment is the Olympics — the grand prix is on the back burner,” said Yermilin.

The boss of Abu Dhabi’s F1 circuit has criticised plans to run the young driver test at Silverstone later this year.

Originally, the young driver test was scheduled to take place as usual this year at Yas Marina, the week after the Abu Dhabi grand prix.

But, due to the calendar congestion at the end of this season, the majority of teams have decided instead to go to Silverstone in July, with only the two Red Bull-owned teams sticking with the Abu Dhabi plan.

Lotus team boss Eric Boullier, however, is quoted by The National newspaper as saying the Silverstone plan is “nonsense”.

Yas Marina chief Richard Cregan agrees: “If you’re a good young driver in the middle of a season, then it’s not ideal to be testing a formula one car midway through the year.

“These guys should be focusing on whatever series it is they are racing, which is why the F1 testing in Abu Dhabi worked so well in the past because it was effectively the end of their season.”

He also warned that the earlier timing of the Silverstone test means teams could spend more time trying to develop their cars than on seriously evaluating the next generation of drivers.

“It is first and foremost a young drivers test and it must remain that,” Cregan insisted.

“It is a chance for young drivers to get maybe a first chance to drive an F1 car and it is chance for teams to run their eye over a driver and evaluate his performance.

“Developing the car and parts should be secondary,” he said.

Abu Dhabi could, however, be back on if Silverstone’s weather forecast looks poor, even though as soon as a car has left the pitlane in July, that team will no longer be allowed to change its plans.

Even though Lotus’ Boullier thinks the Silverstone decision was wrong, he has vowed to stick with the majority.

“But actually I would like it to rain, so we will go back to the original schedule,” said the Frenchman.

Cregan said Abu Dhabi’s door remains open.

“We’ll still be working to the same standards,” he said. “So in that sense nothing changes.”

The Nurburgring’s chances of staying on the F1 calendar received a boost this week.
The German race, which until now has alternated a single annual grand prix date with Hockenheim, was thought endangered due to the withdrawal of the Green-influenced Rhineland-Palatinate government’s state support.

But parliamentary leader Hendrik Hering told the Rhein-Zeitung newspaper: “A race in 2013 is possible.

“There could be a small state subsidy but it needs to be much less than before,” he added.

Other German media reports said new talks have been held with F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone and those “initial discussions were positive”.

“If it (the agreement) is very financially favourable, there could be a formula one event in 2013 at the Nurburgring,” Hering added.

 Jaime Alguersuari sounds confident his formula one career is not over at the tender age of 21.
With not a single kilometre of F1 circuit testing behind him, the Spaniard made his debut mid 2009 but two years later has been dropped by Toro Rosso.

To EFE news agency, he insisted he is not despondent, albeit whilst acknowledging it will be “quite difficult” to find a race seat for 2012.

“I am looking at some options, there are some things and soon there will be news,” said Alguersuari.

“I am starting a new phase because I am only 21, I have done more than my job at Toro Rosso, starting at 19 years old. I think I did a good season, not a bad one.

“I do not have any resentment, I am not angry or sad — the opposite, I thank them (Red Bull) for everything they gave me. They chose to bring me into formula one and obviously I would have liked to continue.

“I have to be mature, I don’t want to judge whether the decision is good or bad. I want to have a positive message. Every cloud has a silver lining.

“I know that news (about my future) will come, I feel more relaxed than when I was at Toro Rosso. I think my time in F1 is not stopping here.”

EFE reported that Alguersuari said he didn’t know if HRT was interested in pairing him with Pedro de la Rosa, or whether he might become Red Bull’s official reserve driver for 2012.

With Austin’s 2012 US GP project all but dead, the first signs of construction at F1′s New York round for 2013 have emerged.
The car weblog Jalopnik published a photo by a New Jersey local: “It might just be the paddock/parking garage, located in exceedingly glamorous Weehawken, but it’s a start,” the report read.

But after Indianapolis left the calendar and the Texas bid hit the dust, obvious cynicism was evident in the report’s title ‘Construction has begun at America’s next failed F1 circuit’.

Indeed, the Texas project has little more than a single day remaining to sort out its contractual dispute with F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.

According to the Associated Press, the 81-year-old “has set a Wednesday deadline” for the organisers “to guarantee (the race’s) long-term financial backing”.

F1 circuit designer Hermann Tilke received a pat on the back on Friday after drivers enjoyed his latest effort.
The German engineer has been criticised for the ‘boring’ layouts at many of his latest formula one venues, including those in Bahrain, Valencia and Abu Dhabi.

“You are always nervous, there is no routine,” Tilke told DPA news agency when he arrived in India this week ahead of the brand new Buddh track’s first ever race.

But when Nico Rosberg emerged from his Mercedes at the end of the first practice session in Delhi, he immediately sought out Tilke to say ‘well done’ in person.

“This is the best track Hermann has ever built,” Rosberg confirmed.

Thailand has become the latest country bidding to join the ever-expanding formula one calendar.
The Bangkok Post said media reports have been confirmed by Thailand’s official promotion arm the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau.

The agency’s president Akapol Sorasuchart said businesses have called on Thailand to organise major events in order to enhance its reputation.

He said experts will be called in to study the proposal.

“Building an F1 circuit is very costly but it would be useful after the races end,” said Mr Akapol.

“(And) I think that street racing is interesting for Thailand because it involves lower investment.”

He said a street layout would likely include the capital city Bangkok’s Ratchadamnoen road, built in 1899 to link the royal palaces during King Rama’s reign.

A dark cloud of uncertainty has gathered above preparations for the 2012 US grand prix in Austin. Shortly after it emerged that the Texas comptroller is being sued by a group of taxpayers over the Circuit of the Americas’ state support, the Austin City Council met on Thursday to vote on the release of the funding. But local news outlets KXAN, KVUE, YNN and the American Statesman report that the vote has been postponed for a week, by which time a new council member who is opposed to the F1 project may be able to cast the deciding vote. “We felt we had support going into this meeting,” said the F1 circuit’s president Steve Sexton. “We thought we would get the necessary approval today to move forward, but any support is welcomed and encouraged. “For a $300 million economic project, we would hope to gain support certainly next Wednesday and move on,” he added. The F1 project’s lawyer Richard Suttle admitted he is also nervous. “I can’t say it any more emphatically that we are now nervous from a daily basis. If you push it, it gives us great trepidation on this thing pulling off,” he said. Suttle added during the meeting that a delay is “a major concern”, while Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell said it could “kill the project”.

It is not all plain sailing for hopeful formula one hosts in India, Greece and the United States.
Even though the Buddh circuit near New Delhi, scheduled to host its inaugural grand prix in October, is reportedly almost completed, there has been violence in the surrounding area resulting in some deaths.

Farmers in the villages around the circuit are angry about the land acquisition compensation offered to them by the government and have threatened to disrupt the race and its preparations.

The state government has therefore increased the security and police presence at the track, which must be completed for homologation by the FIA in July.

Villagers are also angry about access to a temple being blocked. “When all our pleas fell on deaf ears, we had no option but to seek court intervention,” said one village official.

“Hurting the religious sentiments can turn things ugly,” added village resident Sunder Singh, according to the Hindustan Times.

Responded track boss Sameer Gaur: “We are talking to the people concerned and are confident a solution would be found.”

There is also anger in Texas, where the state government is committing $25 million per year for a decade to support the scene of Austin’s 2012 US grand prix.

“The developers should find the money through private sources,” insisted republican senator Dan Patrick, according to Bloomberg.

And the Independence Party in Britain has condemned news that Greece is pushing ahead with a partly government-subsidised project for a F1 circuit.

Greece’s embattled economy received a EUR 110 billion European bailout, contributed to by British taxpayers.

Referring to the F1 plans, UKIP spokesman Winston McKenzie said: “We should not pay a brass penny to the bailout while this sort of irresponsible spending continues.”

Dietrich Mateschitz has repeated his recent claim that formula one’s return to Austria in the near future is a “more than minor” chance.
The Red Bull mogul was speaking as the former grand prix venue at Zeltweg, previously called A1-Ring but now re-christened the Red Bull Ring, is ready to re-open.

Mateschitz has rebuilt the facility, having been demolished following its last F1 event in 2003, at the cost of a reportedly nine-figure euro sum.

It has obtained F1 homologation status, moving the likes of Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel to admit they would like to see the Red Bull Ring added to the calendar.

Bernie Ecclestone said in Turkey that a return to Austria is “possible”.

But Austrian billionaire Mateschitz told Kleine Zeitung: “If you look at the new F1 circuits, the ones that came recently and the ones that are coming, one has to say the probability of formula one returning to Spielberg is more than minor.”

Triple world champion and Austrian Lauda agrees that the chances are small, but he said: “There are several obstacles to overcome, but, firstly, no one knows what Mr Mateschitz is planning.”

Greece has approved plans for a formula one circuit to be built near Patras, 200 kilometres west of Athens.

The Ekathimerini publication said the facility will cost almost EUR 100 million, and the development ministry confirmed in a statement that it “will be able to host formula one cars”.

The project must still be approved by parliament but could be ready to host races within 36 months, and according to Bloomberg will create almost 500 jobs.

The project will be managed by private investment company Racetrack Patras SA, with the state providing a nearly EUR 29 million subsidy.

City mayor Anatoly Pakhomov has admitted the inaugural Russian grand prix may not take place as scheduled in 2014 if its organisation disrupts parallel preparations for the Winter Olympics.

A “worried” International Olympic Committee spokesman admitted last month that it will be “impossible” for the city to organise the two major events at the same time.

Mayor Pakhomov has now told Reuters that postponement of the F1 race is possible but he foresees both events going ahead.

“I don’t foresee any slippage of the race into 2015 being necessary,” he said.

The F1 circuit is expected to use many of the facilities that are being built for the Olympics, including the international media centre and hospitality structures.

Vitaly Petrov’s manager is confident the Russian will be able to sign a new contract for the 2011 season within weeks.

Amid the 26-year-old’s mixed rookie season, Renault has openly mused the possibility of a change of teammate for the highly rated Robert Kubica for next year.

But the well-financed Petrov had a more solid finish to the recently-concluded 2010 campaign, and reports suggested the Kremlin might add to his coffers now that Russia is embarking on a F1 circuit project.

“Since (Russian president) Vladimir Putin became a formula one fan, Petrov has even more support in his pocket,” Nick Heidfeld, a potential suitor for the second Renault cockpit, told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

Petrov’s manager Oksana Kosachenko on Thursday acknowledged the likelihood of a new deal.

“I am still working in this direction, but so far nothing definite can be said,” she told the Moscow published Sovetsky Sport newspaper.

“Most likely, we’ll sign a contract in the second week of December,” added Kosachenko, revealing she is aiming for a new two-year deal.

She said Petrov will not be testing Pirelli’s 2011 development tyres in Abu Dhabi on Friday and Saturday.

“Vitaly is on vacation now and he’ll spend the next two to three weeks outside Russia,” said Kosachenko, who said she has a backup plan to prolong Petrov’s F1 career in the event he leaves Renault.

Force India has emerged as Nico Hulkenberg’s best chance to stay in formula one next year.

The promising German rookie has been ruled out of an extended stay at Williams next year, as the British team apparently clears a seat for a paying driver.

“I heavily regret that, because I would have been happy to stay,” the 23-year-old said.

Hulkenberg’s manager Willi Weber revealed: “I am negotiating with other teams. Nico will have his seat in F1 in 2011.”

Revealing that more news will come in the next “one or two weeks”, Weber told SID news agency: “He has to stay in formula one. He is the next biggest hope for Germany after Vettel and Rosberg.”

Auto Motor und Sport named Silverstone based Force India as the best option, with Adrian Sutil considering a seat elsewhere and Vitantonio Liuzzi’s future clouded despite his possession of a 2011 contract.

Hulkenberg “requires far less salary than Sutil, but he brings far less sponsor money”, the German report noted.

Another race seat might be open at Renault, but the latest speculation is that the Russian rookie Vitaly Petrov has done enough to justify the place alongside his sponsors.

And Spain’s El Mundo reports that the Kremlin might add to Petrov’s 2011 coffers, now that Russia is embarking on a F1 circuit project.

“Soon we will know what we are going to do,” Petrov is quoted by The Guardian newspaper. “We have been going forwards, forwards, forwards, everything going in the right way.”

Even after hosting its inaugural grand prix less than two weeks ago, a cloud is above the future of Korea’s formula one race.

The Yeongam circuit has failed a state safety inspection and cancelled a F3 race scheduled for November, amid new reports of apparent corruption within the organising company and F1 promoter KAVO.

The Korea Herald said the South Jeolla provincial government is set to investigate, with some money from the circuit’s construction budget spent without documentation.

“Over the next week, we’re going to look through all the documents of KAVO,” said Jung Hwan-dae, the vice-chairman of the provincial assembly.

“We’re also planning to summon officials from KAVO to investigate how the money was spent. There is something wrong here,” he added.

The undocumented expenditure amounts to more than $50 million, with other media reports alleging construction firms were paid off to avoid fees.

A KAVO spokesman would not say how the missing money was spent, but commented: “No illegal conduct took place.”