Hockenheim, Imola, set for F1 chop
With Spa Francorchamps to return and teams unwilling to travel to more than 18 venues each year, Germany – with two grands prix on the current schedule – along with Italy, is an obvious target for the cull.
''We are still in negotiations,'' Tesseraux continued, revealing that an announcement is likely to come shortly, ''and these discussions will continue during this weekend.''
He added, however, that Hockenheim is still hopeful that Ecclestone could agree to a year-by-year alternation of the formula one privilege with organizers of the Nurburgring event.
With local hero Michael Schumacher's return to championship contention, meanwhile, Hockenheim is expecting a bumper crowd on Sunday — upwards of 100,000.
07/16/06 (GMM) Germany's leading motor sport politician has re-floated the concept of alternating the Hockenheim and Nurburgring races, as Bernie Ecclestone indicated at Magny Cours that 'one' looks likely for the chop in 2007.
''A rotation (of the races each year) is both necessary and reasonable,'' said Hermann Tomczyk, who is an FIA vice president, according to 'sid' agency.
Ecclestone indicated on Saturday that Imola will also fall off the calendar next year, while Toyota sources at Magny Cours reiterated speculation that Fuji will certainly join the schedule in Suzuka's place.
Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, meanwhile – with key circuit improvements – is due to return.
07/15/06 Germany and Italy could each lose a Grand Prix next year but Belgium's Spa is set to return, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said on Saturday.
Germany currently has races at the Nurburgring and Hockenheim but Ecclestone, who draws up the calendar, told Reuters at the French Grand Prix that could be trimmed to just one round.
"We're working on it, probably only one," he said. The same applied to Italy, which has the historic Monza circuit and Ferrari's home track at Imola.
"It looks like it," said the Briton.
07/03/06 (GMM) A spokesman for the Hockenheim circuit has reacted with surprise to reports that Mexico and Korea are more likely to feature on the 2009 formula one calendar.
Imola, Italy's second annual grand prix, is also mentioned as a possible victim of the sport's continued thrust into new territories.
Moreover, at the Indianapolis convention centre on Sunday, McLaren chief Ron Dennis backed up the story by saying that he expected races in the future in Mexico and Korea, and probably Russia too.
''I cannot imagine that Bernie Ecclestone said this as a fact,'' Hockenheim's Hartmut Tesseraux said, according to 'sid' agency.
''Only last week there were discussions with him in London, and we are still in negotiations.''
Hockenheim's contract to host the German grand prix runs out after its 2008 race, although the agreement does include options for another five events.
07/02/06 (GMM) Hockenheim's spot on the formula one calendar is under threat.
At Indianapolis on Saturday, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone staged a rare meeting with all team principals and reportedly told them that races would need to make way for new grands prix in Korea, Mexico and possibly another in the United States.
While the new races could be set for debuts in 2009, Spa-Francorchamps at Belgium is hoping to be reinstated next season.
As well as Hockenheim, Italy's second race – at Imola – is also in doubt, 'Speed TV' claimed, because the teams are loathe to return to the hectic days of a 19-race calendar such as in 2005.