Motorsport
Ecclestone: F1 in SA by 2013
2011-12-19 13:03
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Cape Town - Formula One will return to South Africa by 2013, according to Bernie Ecclestone, the president and CEO of Formula One Management.
According to the
Sport Industry website, a South African Grand Prix would be the first since 1993, when Alain Prost secured victory at Kyalami. It would mark another step in the sport's global expansion, with venues such as China, Abu Dhabi, India and Singapore either returning to the calendar or appearing for the first time in recent years.
A Grand Prix in Sochi is also expected from 2014, the year that the Russian city hosts the Olympic Winter Games, while Bahrain is also expected to return to the schedule following the cancellation of the race this year.
The USA, though, is proving slightly more challenging for Ecclestone and his team, despite races planned for both Texas and New Jersey.
"Formula One will not be big in America. But Formula One will be in Russia for 2014, and in South Africa by 2013 even," Ecclestone told Al Jazeera English.
He added: "The USA has been slow to get F1 because they want to see a profit before they start."