Bernie Ecclestone gives Austin one-week deadline – Formula 1 news
Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has issued a deadline to the Circuit of the Americas owners of one week to save the US Grand Prix 2012.
There was some confusion and doubt over the Austin circuit ever since the New Jersey Street Circuit got the nod from the FIA. At first, it was noticed that the work was behind schedule for the 2012 race.
Ecclestone though denied any delays, but then last week the construction came to a halt and the F1 boss confirmed that there is no longer a contract between Austin circuit organisers and the Formula 1 Management to have a race scheduled in 2012.
The news came after there were some financial woes over the construction work as the State of Texas was believed to subsidise the project by $25 million, but the State comptroller Susan Combs announced that the circuit will not get any funding until after
a race event takes place on the circuit.
Ecclestone has said that the contract would now need to be signed in front of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) when they meet on December 7, 2011 if there is to be a race in Austin in the 2012 calendar.
“We don't need any deadlines, having to thrash around at the last minute to do something. It's gone on long enough,” Ecclestone said. “There's nothing to save. They can't bloody well pay. What do you want me to do, wait until next year? To put all our cars
on it, run around the circuit and everything and come back with no money.”
“The teams want paying. It's not brinkmanship; it never has been with me. I've been trying to do a deal now with these people for 18 months or more … if they had the money, I'm sure there would be no problem,” he further added.
Race promoter Tavo Hellmund has said that it is in fact the fault of the organisers and not Ecclestone’s whom he praised by saying that the F1 boss has been very cooperative and compromising throughout, but it was a failure on the organisers part.
The fate of the circuit will be decided on December 7, 2011 whether it stays on the 2012 calendar or will there be a newer deal for the 2013 season.
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