Romania eyes F1 race

[Editor's Note: Here is yet another example of world demand for F1 that Bernie can't satisfy. Will Champ Car position itself to fill this void with a derivative of the new F1-like Superfund Force 10 car in 2006? Time will tell.] Autosport magazine reports a proposed venue for the new Romanian Grand Prix circuit. A site has been agreed at Arad in north-west Romania, approximately 350 miles from the capital Bucharest and a similar distance from the Austrian capital Vienna. British architectural company HOK, which designed the new Arsenal football stadium and Wimbledon’s Centre Court, is working on the plans. The proposal has been in existence for two years and is seen by the Romanian government as a key means of introducing economic vitality into the area. The government plans to invest $100 million (£54m) into the project. Circuit designer Clive Bowen, who created the new, widely-praised Dubai Autodrome, is overseeing the Arad project.

“The location is perfect for building an outstanding naturally contoured track," said Bowen. “There’s no reason why we can’t have a circuit with as much character as Spa, but that is fully FIA-compliant in terms of safety standards." Bowen said there were still “two or three" meetings to be held before a track layout could be finalized, but added he was confident the project would progress. “There is much more to the proposal than just a racing circuit," he said. “The government wants to build industrial and retail sites around the track, which will help to make the scheme self-financing."