Rio to take Spa’s place on 2006 calendar?

Rio de Janeiro is ready to step in and fill the void created by the cancellation of this season's Belgian Formula One Grand Prix, according to the city's mayor.

Cesar Maia said on Thursday that the Brazilian city, which hosted the country's leg of the Grand Prix calendar from 1981 to 1990 before the Brazil GP moved to Interlagos in Sao Paulo, could fill in after Belgium was forced to call off its Grand Prix on Wednesday.

“We know that Belgium has cancelled its meeting and we want to put ourselves at the service of the sport to organize our own," said Maia.