No Bulgarian GP, FIA’s Todt insists

Donington’s administrators are encouraged after Bernie Ecclestone left the door open to a future British grand prix deal. Following its failed bid to organise formula one races for 2010 and beyond, the operators of the Leicestershire track were placed into administration.

“We are looking for a purchaser for the business and the potential opportunity to bring formula one to this part of the Midlands by funding the work that needs to be carried out to the circuit,” administrator Nigel Price said last week.

F1 chief executive Ecclestone, who is threatening to remove Britain from the 2010 calendar if a deal with Silverstone is not in place by 9 December, told BBC radio at the weekend there is a chance Donington could resurrect its plans “if someone comes along with the right ideas and funding”.

“I think it’s tremendously encouraging,” Price is quoted as saying by the Evening Standard.  “Without meaning to prejudge anything Bernie might wish to do, he’s clearly shown a desire in the past to put formula one at Donington.

“Therefore, if we can find someone with the financial clout and drive to get something done and quickly, I’m sure Bernie would consider doing that still,” he added.

No Bulgarian GP, FIA’s Todt insists

Bulgaria was never close to organising a round of the F1 world championship, FIA president Jean Todt insists.

It was reported that, before scrapping the plans on financial grounds, the Bulgarian Motorcycling Federation held meetings with Bernie Ecclestone and even received a race contract for 2011-2015.

But while in Bulgaria to discuss the southeastern European republic’s world rally round for 2010, Todt revealed that the FIA never received a formal request to sanction a Belgian grand prix, according to the news agency Sofia.

source: GMM