Only 19 Grand Prix in 2014 after all?

In the first draft unveiled at the end of September, the calendar for the 2014 Formula 1 season included 22 events, three more than this year with the addition of Mexico, Russia, New Jersey, and Austria, and the loss of India.

However, recently Bernie Ecclestone has expressed doubts about the holding of the Grand Prix of Mexico and New Jersey. According to the latest information from Auto Motor und Sport, the number of Grand Prix races held in 2014 might even lose another unit.

Indeed, according to the German magazine, the 2014 season would only feature 19 Grand Prix events as the South Korean Grand Prix would be removed from the calendar. The season might also conclude in Abu Dhabi instead of Brazil.

If uncertainty hangs over the 2014 F1 calendar, there won’t be long to wait before a new official version, indeed, the FIA World Motor Sport Council is set to meet at the beginning of December to finalize things.

If Mexico should therefore not be present next year, it could nonetheless be present in 2015 according to F1 correspondent of Auto Motor und Sport, Michael Schmidt: « The (Mexican) government had to delay its subsidy following the recent floods, which is far more important than a Grand Prix. But the Mexican Grand Prix will indeed take place in 2015. »

A new F1 track for Russia

The Russian Grand Prix is expected to be on the calendar next year and will be held in Sochi – which will also host the Winter Olympics in February. However, in the long term, the race could be held in the country’s capital, Moscow – which already has a track, the Moscow Raceway, which has hosted rounds of the World Series by Renault and DTM.

A new circuit is going to be built in the coming years, and it could be located near Vnukovo Airport, about thirty kilometers from the center of Moscow. The circuit will be designed by the renowned German designer Hermann Tilke. This track is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.

Morocco in the running for a spot on the F1 calendar?

Africa is the only continent, apart from Antarctica, that does not have a F1 Grand Prix, and even though Morocco and South Africa are two countries frequently mentioned as potential hosts for a Grand Prix, things do not seem to be progressing.

During testimony in his recent trial, Bernie Ecclestone revealed that he had recently signed a $600 million contract. According to Pitpass, this amount is too high for it to be related to F1 sponsorship. However, it could mean the arrival of a new race, with payments for F1 rights amounting to $40 million per year and a 10% increase per year, leading to approximately $600 million for a 10-year contract. He was also seen in Abu Dhabi with the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI.

The last Moroccan Grand Prix took place in 1958 in tragic circumstances with the death of Stuart Lewis-Evans – whose manager was none other than … Bernie Ecclestone. Since this tragedy, the country has recently hosted a round of the WTCC and seems to be knocking on F1’s door.

With the sidelining of Mexico and New Jersey, the introduction of a new race would allow Ecclestone to increase his revenues, but while Morocco seems to be the most likely destination, *Pitpass* estimates that this $600 million contract could also have been signed with Thailand or South Africa, even though Bernie Ecclestone has not arranged any recent meetings with officials from these countries.