No Singapore GP announcement on Friday

Singapore officials are now unlikely to announce on Friday that an agreement has been reached to stage a grand prix in the Asian island-state.

But the Trade and Industry minister, Mr. S Iswaran, told the publication Channel NewsAsia on Friday that a final decision about the highly speculated night-time street race on a city circuit next year is due "soon".

The 2008 Singapore GP would be a jointly private sector and government-funded event, he suggested.

Asked about the timing of any impending announcement, he said: "How soon, I can't say as of now, but it would be sooner rather than later (when) we will come out with an announcement."

The race's private investors also denied that an announcement was due on Friday.