Bernie Ecclestone has played down reports he is in advanced talks to bring formula one to the streets of Madrid. Spain's El Confidencial claimed this week the F1 supremo is already in possession of a business plan and bank guarantees, as a group of businessmen want the Spanish capital to host an annual street race.
The news would seem to be a threat to F1's existing Spanish grand prix in Barcelona, but Circuit de Catalunya boss Salvador Servia reacted: "We know nothing. Nobody has told us anything."
F1 chief executive Ecclestone has also now played down the Madrid reports, confirming that a group "talked about it but nothing has happened". "We're not going to do a race in Madrid," the almost 84-year-old told F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, writing in Forbes. A second Spanish race, on the streets of Valencia, failed recently and Ecclestone insists: "We don't need a second race in Spain. It's easy enough as it is."
Notwithstanding that, F1 is preparing to welcome Azerbaijan to the schedule in 2016 and possibly also a race on the famous 'Strip' in Las Vegas. That would tend to contradict claims that Ecclestone cannot take the annual calendar beyond 20 races unless the F1 teams agree. But Ecclestone insists: "If I want more than 20 races I don't need consent from the teams. I don't think so. I don't care about the consent from them which is more to the point," he added.
One race that has come into doubt in recent days, however, is the fabled British grand prix, after several directors including Silverstone chief Richard Phillips were escorted off the premises and suspended. "I don't know what Richard Phillips could have done," Ecclestone told Sylt. "It's all very strange and it came out of the blue. Everything was fine and now the top guy there that we used to deal with is gone. He never said anything to me about this," he said. (GMM)
Ecclestone: "We don't need a second race in Spain"
- Published on 24 Oct 2014 11:59
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
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