Bernie Ecclestone insists a US grand prix in Texas next year remains unlikely, despite race organisers announcing they are now “ready” to pay the sport its overdue sanctioning fee.
With the Circuit of the Americas project reportedly dying, the organisers issued a statement on Thursday announcing they are willing to make “an immediate cash payment”.

“He (Ecclestone) hasn’t received it yet because the new contract presented to us two weeks ago contained unrealistic and unfeasible demands,” said founding partner Bobby Epstein.

“We have signed and returned a contract similar to what we anticipated receiving.”

He admitted the 2012 race will only take place as scheduled if F1′s 81-year-old chief executive returns the revised contract “in the coming few days”.

That appears highly unlikely.

“I doubt it,” Ecclestone, holding a copy of the Circuit of the Americas statement, told reporters at Interlagos.

Asked about Epstein’s complaint that the proposed deal is “unrealistic and unfeasible”, he said: “Yeah, well they shouldn’t sign it. My advice to them is don’t sign it. And they probably won’t get the opportunity.”

Austin’s formula one project is close to collapse, with Bernie Ecclestone saying the event will fall off the 2012 calendar “for sure”.
With the Texas state funding also in jeopardy and track construction halted, the main problem is a disagreement between Tavo Hellmund – who held the original race contract – and the separate company that is building the Circuit of the Americas.

Asked by the Press Association if the impasse means Austin will be erased from next year’s race schedule at the World Council meeting next month, F1 chief executive Ecclestone admitted: “Yes, it will be, for sure.”

He insisted: “We’ve done everything we bloody well can do to make this race happen.”

Ecclestone explained that the circuit cannot simply negotiate to have the contract transferred from Hellmund, because “we’ve cancelled Tavo’s contract as he was in breach”.

And “these other people haven’t got a contract,” he said. “All we’ve asked them to do is get us a letter of credit.

“If people don’t have the money they find it difficult to get the letter of credit, and so we don’t issue a contract,” said Ecclestone.

He told the Independent that if the Circuit of the Americas gets its act together, it could sign a new contract for “10 years from 2013″.

But the Daily Express quotes Ecclestone as saying: “I would be surprised if it happened.”

The local Austin American Statesman reports that the heavy machinery and “even the portable toilets” were being removed from the site on Wednesday.

(pitpass) The future of the United States Grand Prix at the Texas venue took a further twist tonight when the organizers issued the following statement:

“Organizers of Circuit of The Americas, a premier motor sports racing and entertainment venue being developed in Austin, Texas, are suspending further construction of the project until a contract assuring the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix will be held at Circuit of The Americas in 2012 is complete. The race contract between Formula One and Circuit of The Americas has not been conveyed to Circuit of The Americas per a previously agreed upon timetable.

While construction at Circuit of The Americas has progressed as scheduled with over 300 workers at the construction site daily, all work will suspend immediately. The delivery of the Formula One Grand Prix race contract will allow construction operations to resume.

“We have spent tremendous resources preparing for the Formula One and MotoGP™ Championship races, but the failure to deliver race contracts gives us great concern,” said Bobby Epstein, founding partner of Circuit of The Americas. “We believe the United States is vital for the future of Formula One and its teams and sponsors. Given the purpose-built Tilke design, creating a unique fan experience and iconic challenge for drivers, we hope that Texas will not be left behind. More than 100,000 fans have expressed an interest in purchasing tickets for Formula One alone.”

“It is in the best interest of all parties to reach a timely resolution,” said Red McCombs, chairman of McCombs Enterprises and founding partner of Circuit of The Americas. “Local businesses, fans and the State of Texas are counting on us.”

Texas officials would not comment when asked if Bernie Ecclestone’s implication in the Gerhard Gribkowsky corruption scandal might endanger the 2012 US grand prix.
It is feared that, with the F1 chief executive admitting in a German court this week to paying millions to hush the beleaguered banker, the Texas government might rethink contributing to the Circuit of the Americas project.

The Austin American Statesman newspaper posed the question to the Texas comptroller’s office.

“All of these questions would require us to speculate,” the office replied by email.

It is a similarly difficult time for many involved in F1. The Telegraph’s Tom Cary, who has been reporting from Munich, said the sport’s owner CVC “is understandably nervous about its name being dragged through the mud”.

And “the whole of formula one will be watching with interest to see how this case unravels,” he added.

FIA officials as well as Bernie Ecclestone are coy this week amid continuing uncertainty about Bahrain’s return to the F1 calendar next year.
After this year’s race in the troubled island Kingdom was cancelled, Bahrain is scheduled to return to the schedule next April.

Team bosses, however, have expressed concern that the unrest within Bahrain is not yet resolved, leading to a discussion during the recent F1 Commission meeting.

But it is believed that, for now, the 2012 calendar as published by the FIA stands firm.

A report in the Gulf Weekly on Wednesday said F1 officials in Bahrain, who are determined to organise the 2012 race, regard the continuing rumours as “unsettling”.

An FIA spokesman said: “The calendar for the 2012 (season) has been ratified by the FIA, therefore all listed events are scheduled to run, as planned.

“The position is simple — there is a calendar for races for 2012, it has been approved and all teams and promoters work on that basis.”

The spokesman, however, did not comment on reports that Turkey has been unofficially appointed as a ‘standby race’ in the event Bahrain is called off.

And F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone said in a notably terse statement: “The 2012 calendar is as has been published.”

Bahrain’s circuit chairman Zayed R Alzayani said: “We are on the calendar and that is it.”

Nelson Piquet, the triple world champion and father of the 2008 and 2009 Renault driver, will wave the chequered flag at the end of the 2011 season finale at Interlagos later this month.
Marking 20 years since his last F1 win, and more than thirty years since his grand prix victory debut, the 59-year-old will also drive his 1981 Brabham at the Brazilian venue, Globo reports.

“The choice of Nelson Piquet to wave the chequered flag and drive his Brabham at Interlagos is to honour the importance of what he did for Brazil and in the history of formula one,” said a spokesman for the promoter.

As in India recently, there will be two separate DRS zones in use this weekend in Abu Dhabi.
Throughout most of 2011, the first season of DRS deployment in F1 history, the FIA has installed only single detection and activation points for rear wing-assisted overtaking.

But at Monza and India there were two distinct DRS areas, and the same approach will be seen in Abu Dhabi this weekend, it has emerged.

That is particularly good news for Yas Marina, as the otherwise spectacular venue is notoriously difficult to overtake on.

Last year, for example, the layout was blamed for not allowing Fernando Alonso, the championship favourite, to overtake the slower Vitaly Petrov.

McLaren’s Jenson Button said: “It’s usually been quite difficult to overtake in Abu Dhabi, especially last year, but I think that DRS will change all that.

“It would be great to see the new rules turn this circuit into a place where overtaking is more common and more exciting,” he added.

This week’s events have raised the possibility Turkey could return to the F1 calendar next year.
The race has been dropped from the 2012 calendar because the Istanbul organisers and Bernie Ecclestone could not agree to a revised sanctioning fee.

But we reported in September that, given renewed uncertainty about Bahrain’s return to the calendar next year, Turkey “is on standby” for 2012.

This week, it has emerged that the inaugural US grand prix in Texas, and the Korean event, are also in doubt for 2012.

Brazilian journalist Livio Oricchio wrote in O Estado de S.Paulo: “Turkey said it could not afford to pay $26 million to FOM and therefore lost the race.

“But now, so that F1 does not have to lose so many (2012) races, it (FOM) could accept the $13 million they (Turkey) paid before.”

The first US grand prix in Texas could be delayed a year until 2013, according to the latest rumours and reports.

It is believed the Austin venue, where permits for vertical construction have only just been issued, will be discussed during Thursday’s F1 Commission meeting in Geneva.

Bernie Ecclestone is reported to have said in India last weekend that he believes there are “issues” within the group that is organising the 2012 race.

KVUE News visited the site this week and reported “business as usual”.

But as for F1 chief executive Ecclestone, he has “left the door open”, according to F1 insider Don Batson of International Marketing Development.

“I think he (Ecclestone) is talking about the fact that there is some conflict in Austin, that there has been a construction slowdown that is kind of hard to explain other than there being some kind of a conflict internally,” agreed Autoweek’s Steven Cole.

The rumour now is that the inaugural 2012 race date could be pushed back to 2013.

“It (2012) is certainly doable for next year,” Batson insisted, “although they do have a lot to accomplish.”

Cole said he will be waiting for news to emerge from the F1 Commission on Thursday.

“(There) could be good news for Austin, could be bad news, I’m guessing there will probably be no news because as far as I know they still have time to make the November (2012) date,” he said.

The Circuit of the Americas organisation did not comment.

Up to three races on the 2012 calendar are endangered, according to a Brazilian media report.

The O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper reports that the events scheduled in Korea, the United States and Bahrain will be discussed during Thursday’s F1 Commission meeting in Geneva.

An unprecedented 20 grands prix have been scheduled on the 2012 calendar, but Bernie Ecclestone will tell the teams on Thursday that the Korean organisers are hesitating on paying the sanctioning fee deposit.

“It took us long enough to negotiate with them in the first place,” the F1 chief executive told reporters in India last weekend.

“It was strange. That was a disappointment because it was a big enough effort to get it on in the first place.”

Brazilian correspondent Livio Oricchio also said that, shortly after a New York street race was announced for 2013, there is now a question mark about the 2012 US grand prix scheduled for a new venue near Austin, Texas.

And finally, it is the “political situation” in Bahrain that has triggered the F1 Commission talks about the island Kingdom’s 2012 return.

“It is almost certain that the fourth round, on April 22, will not be contested,” the Brazilian report reads.

And it seems clear that the teams will not be unhappy if the schedule dips below 20 grands prix next season.

McLaren and FOTA chief Martin Whitmarsh confirmed there are “some question marks” about some of next year’s scheduled events.

“I think 20 races and a lot of flyaways is pretty hard on the team and I think we are at tipping point,” he said.

“You are getting close to the point where you do need to alternate. It’s the NASCAR approach where you alternate crews.”

 That the owners of Silverstone could lease the British grand prix venue to a Qatar consortium is “wonderful” news, according to F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.
In late August, the Qatar Investment Authority denied there are any “relevant negotiations, currently nor in the past” about renting the Northamptonshire track for 150 years at a cost of some $400 million.

Other reports wrongly claimed that the winning bidder was a private one with wealthy family connections to the British Racing Drivers’ Club and F1.

In fact, it has emerged this week that the Qatar-funded Alpha Group has put down a non-refundable deposit to guarantee a period of exclusive talks.

The Telegraph reports that part of the deal would be for the winning bidder to spend at least $80 million on further developing Silverstone.

Ecclestone, historically a staunch critic of Silverstone and its current operators, allayed any fears about a British institution falling into foreign control.

“It’s a wonderful idea,” he said. “It’s what Silverstone need. They need to let the professionals run it.”

The F1 chief executive said Europe must accept the world’s move to the east.

“People in Europe have got to understand that Europe will be sold to the Chinese or India or these people in the Middle East,” he said. “It is gradually happening now.”

Indian race-goers showed an ugly side late on Friday after American heavy-metal band Metallica cancelled its appearance at the ‘F1 Rocks’ music concert.
The band, in New Delhi for the inaugural formula one event – as is Lady Gaga – called off the concert due to safety concerns relating to audience barriers.

“Our first and foremost concern is always for the safety of you, the fans,” Metallica said in a statement.

But the audience did not take the news well, smashing through barriers to mount the stage whilst ripping off their shirts, hurling chairs at security guards and the LED screens and damaging technical equipment.

“The crowd went berserk,” an audience member confirmed.

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.

 The future of the Russian grand prix could be in Moscow.
The huge country is already scheduled to join the 2014 calendar, with the federal government allocating almost $200 million for a new circuit in the coastal city Sochi.

But an official has hinted that, if the Sochi event is ultimately not successful, the formula one race could be moved 1300 kilometres to Moscow.

Three years ago, work began on a $215 million formula one-style circuit in Volokolamsk, 80 kilometres west of the Russian capital.

“The Volokolamsk circuit is fully in line with formula one safety requirements,” Russian motor racing federation vice-president Igor Yermilin told Sovietsky Sport.

“However, some additions to the infrastructure would be needed, particularly as far as the VIP (section) goes.

“A (decision to) transfer the Russian grand prix will depend upon the commercial success of the race in Sochi,” he explained.

“If the race is successful, there will be no talk of moving it elsewhere. If not, it would be more profitable to hold (the race) in the Moscow region as of 2017 or 2018.”

F1 should drop some more European races and replace them with events in the US, Bernie Ecclestone said.
The sport’s chief executive confirmed to reporters in India that, by 2013, formula one will have three North American races; two in the US and one in Canada.

Asked if the New York race endangers the Austin round, he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport: “Not as far as I know.

“We used to have three or four races in America, so we need two more. It is a big country. We have nine races in Europe and America is about the same size.

“So maybe we should have four in Europe and four in America,” he said.

At the same time, the 81-year-old admitted that with Korea wanting to downsize its annual sanctioning fee, that event could be dropped.

“There are lots of things in life you can’t afford, and you don’t have to have them,” said the Briton.

“It (Korea) was strange. They didn’t really get behind it.”

Ecclestone said the F1 calendar is unlikely to expand beyond 20 races, but said Spain will continue to host two races in Barcelona and Valencia.

He also expressed disappointment that one of his favourite drivers Karun Chandhok is not racing in India this weekend.

“I thought he had signed a contract for it,” said Ecclestone.