Clouds still linger above the health of the 2012 US grand prix project.
Progress at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin appeared brighter last week, when the state’s $25m annual subsidy was signed off by the council and a legal action brought by a group of disgruntled taxpayers was dropped.

But the local Austin American Statesman newspaper now reports that a meeting of the event’s quasi-governmental Local Organising Committee was on Monday mysteriously called off.

The vote of the committee is apparently required as the next step in race organisers receiving the state funds.

“As recently as late June, the local lawyer representing the F1 efforts told the city council the project’s finances could be imperilled if the committee met later than the July fourth weekend,” read the report.

And a freelance reporter has been quoted by KUT News as revealing that organisers do not yet have permission to build the circuit pits and other buildings.

Jacob Dirr said “All they can do is start pouring the track, build a couple of tunnels and keep pushing dirt around”.

Jean Todt has poured cold water on reports Africa might join the formula one calendar in the next few years.

While South Africa hosted the football World Cup earlier this year, F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone said he hoped the continent would be on the calendar “in about three years time”.

Around the same time, it emerged a consortium was working on a F1 project that had requested state support from president Jacob Zuma.

But according to the president of F1′s governing body FIA, “I don’t see any opportunity in the next three to five years,” Frenchman Todt said on a visit to Kenya.

The Associated Press quoted Todt, who had been invited by the Kenya Motor Sports Federation, as saying a world rally or cross country event is more likely.

“Africa is a fantastic field to organise road racing,” he confirmed.

Jenson Button had the Grand Prix of Canada let his teammate go first – but he showed a great performance. The McLaren-Mercedes driver was 2.254 seconds behind with the second position to the finish.

“This was a great race, a great pleasure and quite tiring,” said the reigning world champion. “The race was fun. It is very difficult to judge whether we were doing with the tire pressure. I think I’m probably in the last section gave some early gas, but that has brought me to the second rank. So one big thanks to the whole team. ”
Button was the fourth went into the race, while his teammate, who started from pole position: “This guy was phenomenal. This is a good finish in the race, I scored some points.”

The problems that existed in Montreal with the tires, has led to more tension, according to Button, “From this point of view it was an exciting race. It’s great to be at the top, and seeing the struggle between these two . It was fun, even for the spectators it was a great race, what one owes to the fact that the tires were a little different than usual. This has provoked an enormous race. ”
On his race engineer Jakob Andreasen had to give way button on race day – he had to leave before the qualifying, “Jacob is it bad this weekend. He was in the beginning of the work carried out on the set, part of the result is therefore of his.”

“I then Phil Prew had at my side, the chief engineer, and during the past few years has worked with Lewis. It’s always interesting to work with new teams and new ideas. I hope that Jacob’s well, and hopefully will we see him again back at the track. “