Austrian Grand Prix to be dropped
Monday, 27 January 2003 15:19Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has told one of Austria's newspapers the country will lose its place on the grand prix calendar because its government was bringing forward a ban on tobacco advertising to 2005.
The A1-Ring at Spielberg holds a contract to host a Formula One event until 2006, but Ecclestone said that this year's race would be the last. "We'll be racing for the last time in Spielberg on May 18 this year, then it's over. Of course, we had a contract with Spielberg until 2006, but with an exit clause that's now come into effect."
A spokesman for Spielberg said he could not confirm nor deny Ecclestone's comments.
Austria would be the second European country to lose their Grand Prix as a consequence of the battle over tobacco sponsorship. The Belgian Grand Prix has already been dropped after the government in Brussels decided on a tobacco advertising ban from August 2003.
China and Bahrain have already been awarded dates on the world championship calendar from 2004 with Turkey also expected to stage a race in Istanbul in 2005.
Filed by James Boylan.
