Valencia F1 deal for 2008 signed – report
05/11/07 (GMM) An opposing political party has lodged an official complaint against plans for a grand prix in the Spanish port city of Valencia.
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone explained on Thursday that the seven year deal was conditional on regional leader Francisco Camps' re-election later this month.
The ruling Socialist Party in Madrid (PSOE) said the promise contravenes electoral rules and accused Camps, of the Partido Popular party, of timing the announcement for political gain, according to Reuters.
"This is an insult to the people of Valencia who are above these sort of conditional offers," said Inmaculada Rodriguez-Pinero, the PSOE's secretary of politics, economics and employment.
05/10/07 (GMM) Despite announcing the Valencia GP deal on Thursday, Bernie Ecclestone admitted to the attending media that the contract has actually not yet been signed.
The F1 supremo explained that the deal, bringing a street race to the Spanish port city next year – probably in August – depends on regional government chief Francisco Camps winning re-election later in May.
"I'm sorry to have to say this now, but I really didn't have the courage to say to the president, when I met him this morning, that we are not going to sign this contract until (then)," Ecclestone is quoted as saying.
Valencia's regional and local elections take place on May 27.
Bernie continued: "Everything is in place, we have the contract ready, the circuit is planned, the safety has been improved and everything is in perfect shape."
He also had to defend against criticism that, after forcing Germany to annually alternate its two races from 2007, he has contradicted himself by adding a second Spanish event to the calendar.
"People keep asking me, 'Why are we here … why two in Spain?'," Ecclestone acknowledged.
"The reason is simple, it's because we have here what you call an urban circuit — we call a street circuit.
"When you look at the circuit, as it's laid out, it's better than many of the permanent circuits that we have."
05/10/07 (GMM) A seven year contract to ensure formula one racing in the Spanish port city of Valencia was announced officially by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone on Thursday.
But the arrangement, with the race to be called the European grand prix in 2008 and beyond, is subject to the regional government's president Francisco Camps winning the local elections next month, 76-year-old Ecclestone said in a press conference.
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The rear wing of BMW-Sauber's F1.07 single seater at Circuit de Catalunya will this weekend read the words 'www.active-steering.com' instead of the usual 'BMW Power'.
BMW AG board member Dr Klaus Draeger explained that the message is to promote BMW's Active Steering technology for its road cars.
"There are plans to present other messages in this way during the course of the season," a statement read.
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Ferrari's latest innovation was clear to see for all paddock dwellers in Barcelona on Thursday — an impressive new three-storey motor home.
05/10/07 The Spanish city of Valencia has signed a contract with Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone to host a grand prix for the next seven years.
Ecclestone has confirmed the deal following a long courtship from the city’s officials, with the 76-year-old joined by the Valencia government’s president Francisco Camps, and mayor Rita Barbera in making the announcement.
The race is another coup for the Mediterranean city, currently playing host to the 32nd America’s Cup.
Although Valencia has a test track, the European Grand Prix as it will be known, will be staged on a bespoke street circuit running close to the port area.
The race means Spain will now play host to two events for the next few years as the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, which this weekend stages the Spanish Grand Prix, has a contract that runs through until 2011. The Post
05/10/07 Valencia's place on the 2008 formula one calendar is expected to be revealed to the world with a media conference on Thursday.
The governor of the autonomous Spanish region, Francisco Camps, will appear alongside F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone in the city, where a street race is to be announced, according to the Spanish newspaper 'Marca'.
It is not expected that the race is a threat to Spain's existing grand prix in Barcelona, and some sources even suggest that the Valencia event could be staged only once every two years.
Meanwhile, the feature of the 4.3km circuit – which has been designed by Spanish engineers with input by Hermann Tilke – is a temporary bridge, which will link the two sides of the Valencia port.
05/09/07 (GMM) A definitive deal for a new formula one street race in the Spanish city of Valencia has now finally been signed.
That was the claim on Wednesday of the private radio network 'Cope', which said Bernie Ecclestone's circus would race at a second Spanish venue next year.
It is suggested that the existence of the contract could be announced by the F1 supremo at Barcelona as early as during a press conference on Thursday.
The descriptor 'European Grand Prix' is tipped to be used, as it will be free because of the rotation of F1's two German venues.
Next year's Hockenheim event, following the race at the Nurburgring in 2007, will instead be called the German GP.