Meanwhile, the hot button issue in Montreal last weekend concerned the future of the United States GP in the wake of Bernie Ecclestone’s comments in an edition of last week’s London
Times newspaper. “What do we get from America?” Ecclestone told the
Times. “Aggravation, that’s about all. If you say, ‘Good morning’ over there, and it’s five past 12, you end up with a lawsuit.”
Tony George’s contract with Ecclestone for the USGP expires this year and George wants to renegotiate and reduce his annual fee of more than $20 million. By talking to
The Times, master negotiator Ecclestone laid the groundwork for his conversations this week with George. Neither Ecclestone nor Mosley were in Montreal last weekend, allowing Bernie’s comments to
The Times to do their talking. “I am not prepared to subsidise a race in America,” Ecclestone said. “We have more viewers in Malta than over there.”
Having made his point, Bernie then threw a bone in Tony George’s direction. “I have a very good relationship with the people at Indianapolis and I’m sure the talks will go well,” he added.
In Montreal, nobody could understand Ecclestone’s agenda and all the other
F1 heavyweights jumped in to defend racing in the United States.
In a Friday press conference, Ferrari’s Jean Todt, Mercedes-Benz’s Norbert Haug, BMW’s Mario Thiessen and Honda’s F1 team boss Nick Fry pledged their individual commitments to racing in America.
“We like racing in the US,” Todt said. “
Ferrari has its biggest market in the US. One third of our cars are sold in this country. So for the visibility of Ferrari and of
Formula One, we think it’s important to do this race.”
