Ecclestone postpones the New York Grand Prix to 2015
Awaiting the official announcement of the 2014 calendar, Bernie Ecclestone has dashed the last hopes of seeing New Jersey in 2014 just hours before the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting.
Since Monday, in Paris, the FIA General Assembly began, and this Wednesday, the World Motor Sport Council meeting is going to be held with, among the main topics of discussion, the calendar for the 2014 Formula 1 season which could be finalized at the end of this meeting.
From provisional calendars to unofficial ones, the 2014 season – which will be the 65th of the discipline since its inception in 1950 – is expected to have only 19 events, falling short of the 22 Grand Prix that had been suggested in September. This situation has been anticipated for several months, but Bernie Ecclestone, president of Formula One Management, the economic rights holder of F1 and the designated negotiator for organizing the races, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, has almost confirmed the circulating information.
Last week, it was the fate of Mexico and India that was discussed, with the businessman indicating that they would not be present in 2014. The Indian Grand Prix had already been removed for 2014 in July, with the desire to move the race earlier in the season apparently justifying the choice not to organize it next season in order to avoid creating two events too close together in a country where motorsport struggles to fill the stands.
On the Mexican side, the extent of the work to be done on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez would be the main reason for the postponement, likely following a visit from the sport’s authorities.
A very slight doubt, however, remained for the second American Grand Prix, in New Jersey, set against the backdrop of New York City. B. Ecclestone responded: the race will not be on the 2014 calendar « for many, many, many reasons, » he said before adding: « We are not convinced it will happen in time [for 2014]. What we are aiming for is 2015. » This is therefore the second postponement for the New York race.
Finally, although Bernie Ecclestone did not mention the case of South Korea, it seems that the Yeongam circuit should no longer host a Grand Prix in 2014. It is the last event on the provisional calendar of September to bear the notation « subject to » approval, which has proven to be fatal so far.
